InfraCredit, AMDA partner to Strengthen Market Readiness and Unlock Long-term Domestic Private Capital for DRE and Mini-Grid Development.

Lagos, Nigeria | 28 July 2025— InfraCredit, a ‘AAA’-rated specialised infrastructure credit guarantee institution, and the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA), a pan-African industry association representing private sector renewable energy mini-grid developers and operators committed to scaling distributed renewable energy (DRE) solutions across the continent, have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to strengthen market development efforts and facilitate access to long-term local currency financing for mini-grid and DRE development.

The partnership is in alignment with InfraCredit’s Clean Energy Funding Programme (CEFP), which was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders to enable mini-grid and DRE developers access domestic blended finance through credit enhancement, alongside streamlined due diligence, technical capacity development and other project preparation supports. With an existing pipeline of eligible developers in Nigeria and plans to collaborate with partners to deepen knowledge exchange and peer learning across other African markets, this collaboration creates a platform for scaling local currency finance and unlocking greater opportunities to mobilize domestic capital for sustainable infrastructure and private sector growth.

AMDA, with a network of mini-grid developers operating in over 20 African countries, brings deep sector knowledge, policy advocacy experience, and a strong ecosystem of DRE operators to this partnership. Under the Agreement, both parties will collaborate to facilitate technical assistance, build capacity with toolkits and credit modelling frameworks (such as InfraCredit’s Distributed Renewable Energy Lending Toolkit (DRELT) and DRE Credit Rating Model) and co-develop scalable solutions that address the sector’s long-standing barriers to accessing patient, local currency infrastructure finance.

Commenting on the collaboration, Chinua Azubike, CEO of InfraCredit, stated: “With an estimated 86 million Nigerians—alongside hundreds of millions across Africa, still living without electricity, bridging this energy access gap demands a pipeline of investment-ready, well-prepared projects that can unlock scalable capital and accelerate financial close. This partnership creates a practical pathway to scale the impact of our Clean Energy Funding Programme by equipping more developers to structure commercially viable mini-grid and DRE projects that qualify for long-term local currency finance. By combining AMDA’s regional network and market intelligence with InfraCredit’s credit enhancement tools, technical frameworks, and knowledge exchange platform, we can strengthen developer capacity, broaden local investor participation, and enhance market readiness within Nigeria, while creating replicable models with potential to scale across African markets, ultimately unlocking inclusive energy access, enterprise growth, and job creation.”

In his remarks, Lamide Niyi-Afuye, CEO of AMDA, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with InfraCredit to address one of the most persistent barriers in the minigrid sector—access to affordable, long-term local currency finance. This partnership aims to bridge the needs of minigrid companies with financial innovation, unlocking real opportunities to scale investment-ready projects. By aligning AMDA’s advocacy and technical support efforts with InfraCredit’s proven models and tools, we aim to accelerate deployment of resilient, decentralised energy solutions that deliver tangible socioeconomic benefits in Africa. In our capacity as a pan-African organization, we view this partnership as a blueprint that will be used beyond borders, paving the way for broader regional impact.”

The agreement further establishes joint efforts to develop transaction-ready pipelines, advance capacity-building through the convenance of targeted knowledge-sharing forums between investors and developers. By strengthening upstream project preparation and promoting market transparency, both parties aim to accelerate the deployment of commercially viable mini-grids and enhance energy access outcomes across unserved and underserved African communities.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Plc​​​

Media Enquiries: [email protected] /[email protected]

Guarantee Enquiries: [email protected]

Phone: +234 6312300

Note to the Editor

About InfraCredit

InfraCredit (www.infracredit.ng) was established in 2017 as a first-of-its-kind ‘AAA’(NG) rated specialised local currency infrastructure credit guarantee institution, created to support long-term local currency infrastructure financing in Nigeria. InfraCredit’s guarantees enhance the credit quality of local currency debt instruments issued to finance eligible infrastructure-related assets. Its guarantees serve as a catalyst to attract long-term domestic institutional capital from pension funds, insurance firms, and other investors, thereby deepening Nigeria’s debt capital markets. InfraCredit’s investors include the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (through PIDG and MOBILIST), KfW Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, and African Development Bank, alongside domestic pension funds and insurance firms. As at April 2025, InfraCredit was listed as a public company and admitted to trading on the NASD. It maintains the highest domestic financial strength ratings accorded to any financial institution by Agusto & Co., Global Credit Ratings, and international rating agency, Fitch Ratings.

About AMDA

The Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA) is an industry association formed by private sector minigrid developers and development partners dedicated to improving the political and financial environments for minigrid companies in Africa. AMDA serves as the unified voice for minigrid developers, working to accelerate their path to scale and sustainability in achieving universal access to sustainable, reliable, affordable, and modern energy across the continent. Currently, AMDA has over 59 member companies operating in 24 African countries. Learn more about AMDA at africamda.org and follow us on LinkedIn and X.