Acumen takes charge of energy poverty

A New York City nonprofit focused on alleviating poverty has landed $246 million to scale clean energy in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded by serial social entrepreneur Jacqueline Novogratz in 2001, Acumen aims to reach nearly 70 million people across 17 countries with some of the lowest electrification rates in the world, including 50 million first-time energy users. In 2023, 600 million sub-Saharan Africans in countries such as Malawi, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone lacked access to electricity, with a disproportionate impact on women. As Novogratz said, “It’s a clear example of what’s possible when capital aligns with purpose to tackle energy poverty at scale.”