The acceleration of renewable energy development took centre stage at the just-concluded Sankalp Africa Summit 2026 held in Nairobi.
Energy Catalyst, an Innovate UK programme, hosted a session titled “Powering the Food Systems – Energy as Infrastructure for Agriculture,” featuring initiatives that support the scaling of clean, affordable and reliable energy solutions in African markets.
“Our presence at Sankalp Africa Summit 2026 is driven by a clear purpose: to accelerate a just and inclusive clean energy transition by engaging directly with innovators, investors, and partners across the continent,” said Jillian Henderson, Energy Catalyst Lead at Innovate UK. Energy Catalyst is an Innovate UK programme that accelerates the innovation needed to realise a just and inclusive clean energy transition across Africa and beyond.
Now in its 13th edition, the summit connects entrepreneurs and investors across various sectors while providing key firms an opportunity to showcase innovations such as clean energy solutions.
Matt Carr, CEO and Founder of Agsol, an innovator of solar-powered agri‑processing solutions for off‑grid farming communities, said, “In Kenya, the cost of milling varies depending on where you are in the country, but approximately the customers who come to a diesel mill with their own grain to mill, for every 10 or 20 shillings which they are paying for a milling service, half of what they paying goes straight to diesel.”
Another company, Gommyr Power Networks provides solar‑battery microgrid hubs supporting cold‑chain storage and transport in three main African markets; Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.
The firm’s managing director Arnaud Henin, said, “We focus on on-site, renewable-based energy systems to offer off-grid solutions. In particular, we focus on productive activities; using that energy to supply or catalyse productive activities in underserved rural communities.”
In Mozambique, Gommyr Power Networks is launching GoHubs, solar-battery microgrid hubs delivering ice, cold storage, and cold-chain transport to boost the artisanal fishing sector in remote areas of Nova Mambone and Pomene. The hubs will reduce spoilage, improve processing, and expand market access for more than 300 fishermen and resellers, supported by an advanced platform to optimise energy use.
A major highlight was this year’s theme: ‘South-South Rising,’ which reflects a major shift in how innovation and development are happening globally. More increasingly, scalable solutions to energy access and climate challenges are coming from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Practically, this means African innovators are not adopters of technology – they are designing, manufacturing and deploying solutions tailored to their markets. It also speaks to deeper regional collaboration, investment flows, and knowledge exchange among countries facing similar challenges and opportunities.
Other participants who showcased cutting-edge solutions at the summit included Compact Syngas Solutions and Hubl Logistics/Coolrun.
