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Africa

The Lab’s Africa program accelerates financial innovation to bridge the continent’s significant climate finance gap. The program launched in 2020 with an initial focus on Southern Africa, later expanded to East Africa, and now covers all of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Funders

Africa Member Organizations

Africa Panel Members

Africa GreenCo

  • Cathy Oxby
    Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer

African Development Bank

  • Gareth Phillips
    Manager, Climate and Environmental Finance
  • Gerald Esambe Njume
    Principal Climate Change & Green Growth Officer
  • Kidanua Gizaw
    Senior Climate Finance Officer

Climate Fund Managers

  • Andrew Johnstone
    Chief Executive Officer
  • Darron Johnson
    Head of Investments Africa
  • Kevin Anderson
    Head of Strategic Initiatives

CRDB Bank

  • Kenneth Kasigila
    Head of Policy Advisory & Climate Finance

DEG

  • Michael Knaus
    Team Lead Climate

Development Bank of Southern Africa

  • Gregory Fyfe
    Chief Investment Officer
  • Mpho Mokwele
    Group Executive: Transacting

European Investment Bank

  • Jim Hodges
    Regional Representative for Southern Africa and Indian Ocean
  • Nadège Hopman
    Deputy Head of Regional Representation

French Development Agency

  • Audrey Rojkoff
    Director for Climate and Nature

German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

  • Victoria Bittner
    Senior Policy Officer

German KFW Development Bank

  • Cornelia Tittmann
    Country Director, South Africa
  • Kevin Leask

Green Climate Fund

  • Catherine Koffman
    Director Department of Africa Region

Independent

  • Bashi Gaetsaloe
    Managing Director at Jupiter Consulting & Services
  • Paul Currie
    Consultant
  • Silke Stadtmann
    Consultant
  • Stefan Raubenheimer
    Raubenheimer Climate Consulting

Inspired Evolution

  • Chris Clarke
    Managing Partner

International Finance Corporation

  • Deo Onyango
    Senior Industry Specialist
  • Nana Nuamoah-Asamoah
    Program Lead

Nedbank

  • Kevin Whitfield
    Head African Treasuries, Carbon and Financial Products
  • Mike Peo
    Head: Infrastructure, Energy and Telecommunications

Rand Merchant Bank

  • Nigel Beck
    Head: Sustainability Finance and ESG

RBN Fund Managers

  • Heather Jackson
    Chief Executive Officer

Rwanda Green Fund

  • Laurene Manzi
    Climate Finance Manager
  • Teddy Mugabo
    Chief Executive Officer

Sanlam Investments

  • Todd Micklethwaite
    Executive Head: Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships

News and Events

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The Lab’s portfolio hits USD 5 billion, demonstrating scalable climate finance solutions for emerging markets

It includes USD 1.5B from institutions within the Lab network and USD 1.9B in private finance....

Event
Accelerating Climate Finance: What are investors prioritising?

Invite-only panel bringing together leading voices from across the climate finance ecosystem. ...

Lab Alum P-REC Aggregation Facility Secures USD 11.3M from Lab Members AfDB and NDF

P-REC Facility secures $11.3M from ADB and NDF to expand mini-grid access across Africa. ...

Event
Integrating Localization into Blended Climate Investments

Roundtable convening stakeholders to discuss localization strategies for climate blended finance. ...

In the News: Global Innovation Lab to incubate eight climate finance solutions for emerging markets

ImpactAlpha highlights new class of innovative climate finance vehicles selected by the Lab. ...

Event
Transformative capital: The role of blended finance in shaping the trajectories of gender- and climate focused impact funds in Sub-Saharan Africa

How can blended finance reshape the future of gender–climate funds in Sub-Saharan Africa?...

2026 Lab selection season kicks off

Lab members meet worldwide to vote on 8 climate finance ideas for the 2026 Lab cohort....

Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) to host Lab’s 2026 Africa Selection Meeting

Lab's 2026 Africa Regional Selection Meeting to be held in Cape Town at AGES. ...

Lab’s 2026 Call for Ideas breaks record with over 1,000 applications received

The Lab has now reviewed more than 3,000 applications since launching its first cycle in 2015. ...

In the news: Global Innovation Lab backs new models to close adaptation and nature finance gaps

ImpactAlpha spotlights nine climate finance solutions endorsed by the Lab. ...

The Lab endorses nine innovative climate solutions targeting USD 425M for emerging markets

Solutions use a variety of financial tools to manage risk and unlock private capital. ...

Publications

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2025 Lab Impact Report

Learn how the Lab’s investor-led model transforms early-stage ideas intoinvestment-ready vehicles....

Building Financial Instruments for Climate Adaptation

This report shares guidance for designing financial tools to meet adaptation finance needs. ...

Scaling Innovative Climate Finance Instruments: Experience from the Lab

This brief presents what The Lab has been doing in its first 6 years...