Nigeria’s leading off-grid energy access investor, All On, has announced the launch of the 2026 All On Off-Grid Energy Challenge, introducing a funding window of between $200,000 and $1 million in blended financing for Nigerian clean energy companies developing solutions to improve electricity access across the country.

Applications for the nationwide competition opened on July 2, 2026, and will remain open until July 31, 2026.

Building on the outcomes of previous editions, the initiative is designed to identify, support and scale innovative off-grid energy businesses capable of expanding electricity access, generating employment and driving economic growth, particularly in Nigeria’s unserved and underserved communities.

According to All On, the programme is open to entrepreneurs and innovators creating scalable, commercially viable solutions in renewable energy, productive use technologies, energy efficiency, cold chain solutions and other off-grid energy applications.

The company revealed that since the Challenge was introduced in 2018, it has committed $3.6 million to 36 Nigerian-owned companies, with supported projects delivering clean energy access to more than 150,000 Nigerians.

For the 2026 edition, selected participants will receive between $200,000 and $1 million in blended financing, combining non-dilutive and commercial funding instruments.

In addition to financial support, successful applicants will benefit from technical assistance and investment-readiness support provided by the All On Hub team to strengthen their businesses and enhance their capacity for growth.

Speaking during the launch, All On Innovation Hub Manager, Sele Inegbedion, said the initiative is founded on the conviction that Nigeria’s entrepreneurs already possess the solutions needed to address the country’s energy challenges.

He said: “The Off-Grid Energy Challenge exists because we believe the solutions to Nigeria’s energy problems already live within Nigeria, in the minds and hands of our entrepreneurs. Our role is to find them, back them, and walk with them as they grow.

“This year, we are doing that with more capital and more conviction than ever before. If you are building something that brings light and economic opportunity to communities that have been left behind, we want to hear from you.”

This year’s competition places special emphasis on projects that promote the productive use of energy by transforming electricity access into economic opportunities across sectors including agricultural processing, cold storage, healthcare and small businesses.

The organisers are also prioritising innovations in mini-grids, solar home systems, solutions across the off-grid energy value chain, and interventions aimed at improving outcomes for women and young people.

Also speaking, Caroline Eboumbou, Chief Executive Officer of All On, said sustained investment tailored to the needs of the sector has continued to deliver meaningful results for Nigeria’s off-grid energy industry.

She said: “Nigeria’s off-grid energy sector has proven, year after year, that the right kind of support that is patient, flexible, and rooted in deep market understanding, can produce transformational outcomes.

“The Off-Grid Energy Challenge is one of the most direct expressions of what All On stands for: putting serious capital behind entrepreneurs who are dedicated to solving one of our country’s most pressing challenges.”

According to the organisers, applicants must be majority Nigerian-owned and managed for-profit private companies that are legally registered and operating in Nigeria.

They added that proposals must demonstrate innovation, include a credible strategy for serving unserved or underserved communities, and present a commercially viable business model capable of sustaining operations within a 12 to 18-month investment period.

All On is an independent impact investing company seeded by Shell. The organisation provides debt and equity financing alongside non-financial support to Nigerian renewable energy companies working to expand access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for low-income households and small businesses nationwide.

Source: Vanguard