Nairobi plays host to the Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2026 from April 21 to 24 at Safari Park Hotel, bringing together over 1,000 investors, policymakers, utilities, and energy innovators to accelerate renewable electrification across Africa.
Organised by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and co-hosted by the European Union and Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, EAIF is the top annual investment event fostering partnerships for energy access, productive use, commercial and industrial power, and the green energy transition.
The European Union Delegation to Kenya, led by Ambassador H.E. Henriette Geiger, said the forum reflects a broader push to scale up investment in sustainable energy under the Global Gateway framework. “EAIF provides a practical platform for translating policy ambition into bankable projects by connecting public and private capital to emerging energy markets,” she said.
The 2026 edition is expected to draw private equity firms, development financiers, government representatives and industry executives for deal-making sessions, exhibitions, and structured networking aimed at unlocking financing for clean energy projects.
A key highlight will be the launch of COMESA’s ASCENT Project Preparation Facility, a US$25 million World Bank–funded initiative aimed at boosting renewable electrification across Eastern and Southern Africa. The ASCENT PPF will provide technical support to developers to ensure proposed initiatives are well structured, bankable, and ready for financing. Cygnum Capital has been appointed Fund Manager to oversee the portfolio and ensure projects meet international investment standards.
Africa faces one of the world’s largest energy access gaps, with around 600 million people lacking electricity and more than a billion without clean cooking solutions. EAIF has evolved since 2016 into a key platform for structuring energy access deals, particularly in renewable electrification and productive use of energy.
