Entries Open for 2026 Africa Energy Entrepreneurship Award

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Innovators on the continent have until December 11 to submit entries for the 2026 Africa Energy Entrepreneurship Award organised by Octopus Energy.

A statement from the company disclosed that three trailblazers will win grant funding, mentoring and practical support to scale their businesses, as they help turn Africa into a green energy powerhouse.

The Africa Energy Entrepreneurship Award aims to help scale start-ups who are turning Africa’s biggest energy challenges into solutions, jobs and economic opportunities.

Judges are looking for start-ups that show what makes their innovation unique, how their tech improves access to energy, the scalability of their business and its impact on communities, and their expertise and drive to deliver on their bold mission.

To enter, businesses must be based in Sub-Saharan Africa, founded no more than five years ago and have fewer than 20 full-time employees. Entries will be judged by a panel of experts, including CEOs, founders and C-suite leaders with deep experience in Africa’s energy transition.

The debut winner in 2025 was Nimsy Agro Solar, whose solar-powered irrigation pumps help thousands of Nigerian smallholder farmers ditch costly diesel, PAM AI, which uses tech to optimise mini-grid energy, and KAMIM Technologies’ solar-powered cooling systems for farmers.

The founder of the organisation, Mr Onimisi Charles Atere, said, “With last year’s grant funding, we developed and piloted a first-of-its-kind solar irrigation reservoir in Giwa LGA, Kaduna State.

“It enables smallholder farmers without access to surface water to irrigate their farms, grow food year-round, improving their productivity and livelihoods. The award has opened up new opportunities and networks, positioning us for greater impact and scale.”

Also commenting, the chief executive of Octopus Energy Generation, Zoisa North-Bond, said, “Tech and innovation are unlocking the benefits of clean energy for homes and businesses – and transforming communities across the continent. We’re proud to be supporting early-stage startups across Africa to scale up as they deliver meaningful change through energy. We can’t wait to see this year’s applicants and hope this award continues to provide a launchpad for trailblazers to take their ideas to the next level.”