The Digital Energy Challenge: supporting digital innovation for energy in Africa
The Digital Energy Challenge was designed to support the development of innovative digital solutions aimed at improving access to energy, facilitating the integration of renewable energy, and enhancing the performance of energy operators across Africa.
Launched in 2020 and co-funded by the European Union, the French Development Agency (AFD), and ADEME, the Challenge has supported more than 30 projects led by start-ups, innovative technology providers, and energy operators throughout the African continent.
Over the years, the Digital Energy Challenge has established itself as a key driver of digital innovation in the energy sector, supporting high-impact projects in both urban and rural areas, for on-grid and off-grid contexts.
Since 2024, the Challenge has been part of the Digital and Green Innovation Action (DGI) initiative, led by a European coalition bringing together several Member States under the #TeamEurope banner, with the ambition of promoting a human-centred digital and green transformation based on partnerships and innovative solutions.
A concrete response to Africa’s energy challenges
In a context where nearly 600 million people in Africa still lack access to electricity, the Digital Energy Challenge has highlighted the key role of digital technologies and new business models in accelerating electrification, strengthening grid resilience, and supporting the energy transition.
The supported projects relied on digital technologies (telecommunications, IT, cloud, data, monitoring and control tools) applied to concrete use cases such as energy planning, network management, mini-grids, renewable energy integration, operational performance, and rural electrification.
Two complementary project categories
The call for projects was structured around two categories:
- The Start-up Challenge, aimed at local start-ups or young innovative companies developing digital solutions tailored to the realities of African markets.
- The Partnership Challenge, designed to support collaborative projects between a technology provider and an energy operator, in connection with rural electrification programmes, notably those led by Senelec.
The selected projects benefited from financial, technical and strategic support, including grants, implementation assistance, expert-led bootcamp workshops, and increased visibility within the Digital Energy ecosystem.
Relive the highlights of the 2024 Challenge
Discover the results of the Digital Energy Challenge
