Building Sustainable Societies

Welcome to Sahara Group Foundation

Sahara Group Foundation is the Personal and Corporate Social Sustainability vehicle of Sahara Group Limited. Our investment focuses on helping to increase access to energy and promoting sustainable environments, with the main goal of improving lives and livelihoods.

Learn more

2023 Sahara Impact Fund Fellows

Our Focus Areas

Access to Energy

Access to Energy

In line with our vision and the United Nation’s SDG Goal 7- ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, Sahara Group Foundation focuses its effort and investment on helping to improving access to energy for all. Through its programmes and strategic partnerships, we are helping to promote innovative approaches and actions that support increased energy access for all.

Energy demand is set to double by 2040, largely due to population growth estimates. With a spotlight on developing societies, we are leading and engaging in active discourses and making considerable investment commitments that not only help to address poor access to energy but help to identify and support novel solutions to the problem.

Through our Sahara Impact Fund Fellowship programme, we are directly investing in social entrepreneurs that are helping to promote increased access to energy through their social enterprises.

Sustainable Environments

Sustainable Environments

Our commitment to promoting sustainable environments is unwavering. We achieve this through our strategic programs and partnerships that support actions towards the preservation of the environment for today and future generations.

The United Nation SGDs 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 helps to highlight the importance of protecting and maintaining our environment. As attainment of these goals would support improved and sustainable development for all.

Sahara Group Foundation through its Recycling programs and Improved Security through Clean Energy Projects is directly making significant contributions to promoting sustainable environments across borders.

Sahara Impact Fund

In 2020, Sahara Foundation launched the Sahara Impact Fund (SIF), through a strategic partnership between Sahara Foundation, LEAP Africa, and Impact Investment Foundation.

Learn more

SAHARA STEAMERS PROGRAMME

Launched in 2021, the Sahara STEAMers Program is a social intervention afterschool initiative targeted at secondary school students in Africa.

Learn more

GO Recycling

Sahara Foundation and Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) have agreed a strategic partnership geared towards rolling out a series of recycling exchange hubs across 12 local government areas in Lagos state.

Learn more

News & Updates

Leveraging COP28 Conversations to Advance the African Agenda
Welcome to Lagos – SIPA 2023 Fellows
Sahara STEAMers programme; empowering Africa’s next generation of innovators
Introducing our 2023 Sahara Impact Fund Recipients
World Teacher’s Day 2023
Sahara Group Foundation Empowers Young African Social Innovators with Seed Funding
Sahara Group Foundation Donates Medical Equipment to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital
Sahara Group Foundation Partners LSETF, Wecyclers, IBILE Oil and Gas to Launch its Fifth Go-Recycling Hub in Ifako Ijaiye LCDA

Sign up to Sahara Group Foundation email newsletter for opportunities, SIF News and more special announcements

Building Sustainable Societies

  • 7a Oluwa Road, Ikoyi
Instagram Twitter Facebook Linkedin

Quick Links

© 2023 | Sahara Group Foundation | All Rights Reserved

Paul Nnaluo

NIGERIAN

Enterprise Description

Gasmonkey’s Smart Cylinder connects millions to uninterrupted LPG and rLPG (renewable Liquified Petroleum Gas) without a physical pipeline via their smartphones. The World’s First Smart Gas Cylinder is more than just a container for carrying liquified gases. It’s like connecting to the gas grid/pipeline but for a fraction of the cost, even more flexible for the users and the entire energy industry. G-Surf, our Ai/cloud platform in charge of monitoring and controlling smart devices and appliances and mining millions of data points generated is pending patents. Every connected gas cylinder represents a pipeline connection, sending live data to our AI-powered cloud (G-surf). AI enables the smart cylinders to use gathered big data to better analyze, learn and make decisions without the need for a human.

What inspired you to start? 

My family was part of the 799 million people in Africa in the 90s that relied 100% on fuelwood for cooking. This experience left my family with scars, we lost 5 of 9 kids under the age of 2 to childhood pneumonia, believed to have been caused by cooking smoke. I am a mechanical engineer with an incredible mind for problem-solving. My co-founder, Matthew’s lifelong desire to build electronics, machines and everything else gave birth to a perfect team. It is us trying to make gas usable and accessible to everyone.

Impact since inception

Our minimum viable product served over 200 households, saved 6 hectares of forest (2 hectares annually), and preserved about 600 square meters of forest.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

200+ 

How is this different?

Our innovation is different because we are a Tech enabled social enterprise that is initiating a Referral Multisided Platform named TECTs, that connects frontline healthcare workers (service providers) with victims of the social problems we are tackling. We are creating this platform in response to fear of stigma, discrimination and other major impediments in providing and accessing quality treatment services and support that can help a good number of victims of drugs, mental health and human trafficking in the country.

Muideen Adegoke

Nigerian

Enterprise Description

DigitAgric is a circular agribusiness that aggregates agricultural wastes and crop residues from food processing companies, abattoirs, poultry farms and smallholder farmers. We transform these wastes into two different products such as biochar and biochar-based fertilizer that double the yields of farmers, renew degraded soils and last longer in the soil.

What inspired you to start? 

I am a farmer with over five years of experience in crops farming. Farming in Nigeria is becoming unprofitable for smallholder farmers simply because of hike in the prices of agricultural inputs. It is not an overstatement that the cost of fertilizer covers about 50% cost of farming any agricultural crops in Nigeria. This is a serious problem for many smallholder farmers.

My desire for an alternative fertilizer and the need to reduce the costs of farming in the last three years left me with no option/choice other than to research on possible ways of using local materials and wastes from poultry farms, abattoirs, and food wastes from food processing companies and public markets to produce an eco-friendly and affordable fertilizer.

Impact since inception

DigitAgric products improve the overall livelihood of rural smallholder farmers and raise their income by 50%.We aggregate crop residues such as corn husk, rice husk, to create an additional revenue stream for farmers.

We are making or reducing costs of fertilizer for farmers and increasing long-term farm yields by 30%. Lastly, we are sequestering 1.5 tons of carbon emissions per acre of land fertilized with biochar-based fertilizer.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

1000 smallscale farmers

How is this different?

We are present directly at the local farms with that farmers and our digital platform, bring the urban people closer to the farmers.

Jolis Nduwimana

Burundian

Enterprise Description

WEGE COMPANY is a social startup that promotes a green economy in Burundi through a circular economy. It transforms banana waste into inexpensive, reusable, recyclable eco-friendly packaging. It collects banana trash from different banana farmers after harvesting and transforms it into eco-friendly packaging that composts within a week after its usage. They are alternatives to plastic bags. Our project aims to limit the overuse of plastic packaging, which contributes to animal deaths, climate change, and environmental deterioration.

Beyond that, it enhances the value of banana plantations and provides job opportunities for Burundi’s unemployed youth.

What inspired you to start? 

It all started in 2017, after my high school Graduation; I lost my beloved father shotgunned by unknown criminals. As the firstborn in a vulnerable family of small-scale farmers and breeders, I had to take responsibility in order to support my siblings to continue their studies. At the same time in 2018, I witnessed three of our cows losing weight to death because they swallowed plastics thrown into nature, and in our neighborhood animals were also dying massively. The massive loss of our cattle pushed me to think of a sustainable solution to meet the above-mentioned ravaging challenge. The idea of manufacturing eco-friendly packaging from bananas came to me. I then started WEGE COMPANY.

Impact since inception

We have been able to ban all plastic bags in Karusi province, located in the central part of Burundi, after only one year of operation. And by 2024, we hope to replace 28,800,000 plastic bags, resulting in a reduction of 145,152,200 kilograms of CO2. According to statistics, 70% of young people in Burundi do not find work after finishing their studies. We must also remember those who live with a disability and are sometimes despised because of it. We have, however, recruited 14 graduated young people, including three orphans and two people with disabilities, who are now serving in our initiative. We intend to hire at least 54 graduates and young people to work in various departments of our Initiative WEGE COMPANY by 2023.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

286 banana farmers

How is this different?

The difference that our innovation makes is based firstly on the affordability of our packaging, which is the cheapest of all other packagings on the market since banana waste is abundant here in Burundi. For example, our competitors import the raw material and the cheapest of their packaging on the market cost approximately 1 US$ (2,000 BIF). That’s a lot of money to spend at least every week for many families in Burundi. Furthermore, Burundi is one of the developing countries which is still facing many challenges based on poverty, more than 89% of the Burundian population cannot afford those packaging. As a solution, are selling our packaging at an average price of USD 0.25 $ per piece.

Ainomugisha Shifra

UGANDAN

Enterprise Description

SOLAFARMS makes solar powered cold storage units to be sold and rented out to organized farmer groups, food market vendors and restaurants such that they can safely preserve their unsold food for up to 21 days. The storage units shall be located at food market centers and in locations with organized food farmer groups for space renting on a pay-per-use basis while institutions like hotels and restaurants shall buy. 

What inspired you to start? 

I have been helping my mother sell food since childhood and have grown up seeing problems associated with this business. Food wastage as a result of rot has always stood out as the major cause of loss and scarcity in food markets and farms. the losses that I have personally witnessed inspired me to find a solution to this problem if food business was to be sustainable in Uganda. 

Impact since inception

We are a starting enterprise that is at a full production stage that we are currently seeking to fund 

Number of beneficiaries since inception

N/A 

How is this different?

All our cold storage units shall be solar powered to allow flexibility of reaching off grid regions and be environmentally friendly. We are also providing the service at pay-per-use basis which is cost-effective and efficient. Lastly, we also transport the food products in our cold storerooms while our competitors are stationed in fixed positions

Timothy Munthali

Malawian

Enterprise Description

We process sunflower and groundnuts seeds into cooking oil.

What inspired you to start? 

I did my market research and observed the gap in the community.

Impact since inception

We have provided market for 23,000 women who are working in cooperatives and we promote their life’s through the quota agreement we make.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

23,000 women

How is this different?

We are working with women cooperatives and using Solar powered machinery.

Kehinde Fashola

Nigerian

Enterprise Description

Fizzle Power Tech is a green tech startup that makes use of the power of deep technologies to ensure/accelerate better access to affordable electricity. At Fizzle Power Tech, we specialize in providing tokenized solar energy systems to accelerate access to an affordable Pay-As-You-GO solar energy for Urban, Peri-Urban and Rural communities in Under-served African Countries with the use of Blockchain technology.

What inspired you to start? 

I grew up in an environment that had little or no access to electricity, and as such, we generate electricity with the use of a kerosene lantern. While in the university I initially had the interest of studying energy Management but no university in Nigeria offered such program as at that time. Over time, this obsession developed into an impulse and I decided to set-up a renewable energy company with the name Fizzle Power Tech. I made a research into how much cost companies in Nigeria incur on fuel per day.

Impact since inception

We generated a Provision of a 10KW Pay-As-You-GO solar energy systems at Olomore Market in Abeokuta with as low as 10 Naira per day fee – March 2023. We generated and installed a PAYGO solar energy systems to The MAKOKO DREAM SCHOOL, Yaba, Lagos. Makoko is an informal settlement across the 3rd Mainland Bridge located on the coast of mainland Lagos. The settlement lacks basic social amenities such as electricity, schools, and healthcare clinics.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

N/A 

How is this different?

Nigeria has only one solar blockchain company presently. Onewatts Solar. Our Structure is diverse with high market availability. The Fizzle Blockchain Power service has a great format and 100% user friendly. The pricing system is flexible and affordable payment system is created to support every class. The Fizzle Blockchain electricity is built on great technology with the use of blockchain for certificate authentication.

Joyce Rugano

Kenyan

Enterprise Description

Ecorich Solutions is a Kenyan-based company founded by Joyce Waithira that develops AI devices that take only 3 days to convert otherwise harmful household waste into affordable organic fertilizer that is 70% cheaper than normal fertilizers to enable African smallholder farmers to access affordable fertilizer to increase their yields. Beyond that, it enhances the value of banana plantations and provides job opportunities for Burundi’s unemployed youth.

What inspired you to start? 

Having witnessed the effects of climate change on farmers and the garbage burden in dumpsites, I realized that 70% of this waste can be recycled. This is the same waste that goes into landfills and water sources causing the spread of diseases such as malaria, and cholera which are big epidemics in African countries, yet farmers are experiencing huge agricultural losses in the rural areas. I made a decision to bring change and save the future of African smallholder farmers as well as our environment. I developed a device that converts this waste into organic fertilizers for farmers thus increasing their farm yields all with an aim of addressing SDG Goal 1 on Zero Hunger.

Impact since inception

In the last 1 year, we have managed to produce 9.2 tonnes of organic fertilizer from kitchen waste, reaching 2,250 farmers, and recording a 25% growth rate. 2)We have also been able to produce and distribute 385 waste-to-fertilizer decomposer devices to urban households which convert the waste into 70% cheaper organic fertilizer. We hope to distribute 2155 more waste-to-fertilizer decomposer devices in the next 12 months. 2)So far, the ripple effect of our organic fertilizer output has seen us distribute 5,000 bags of organic fertilizer to 2,250 farmers in Kiambu and Machakos County, reclaiming back agricultural viable lands, and increasing crop production. 3)We have been able to turn 17 tonnes of waste into affordable organic fertilizer in the past 6 months helping keep the environment clean and preserve our natural resources. 4)We have prevented 1 tonne of methane from being emitted into the atmosphere in the last 6 months through the reduction of dumpsites.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

2,250 farmers in Kiambu and Machakos County

How is this different?

Ecorich food waste decomposer is quite unique in many aspects making it stand out as a viable, portable, and more dependable means of food waste conversion to organic fertilizer. We enjoy the benefit of producing the most affordable organic fertilizer in the market which is 70% cheaper than regular fertilizers per 50kg bag. Achieving a 70% cheaper fertilizer has been made possible by the ease of access and cost of our raw material coming from waste as compared to our competitors who have to import industrially manufactured fertilizers.

Philipo Kitungano

Tazanian

Enterprise Description

Kigoma Eco cultural Tourism enterprise is female founded and led tourism Enterprise located in western part of Tanzania in Kigoma region. We mainly focus on Tourism Activities by organizing tours in and around kigoma including chimpanzees trekking at Gombe and Mahale national Parks. Visit to Ujiji historical site, traditional dances and local food cooking experience, local canoeing and boat cruising at Lake Tanganyika, Trekking kitwe forest, Palm tree tour. We connect visitors with local community and ensure that local women and youth benefit economically and socially from Tourism through practicing community based tourism.

What inspired you to start? 

Kigoma is blessed with abundance of cultural and natural heritage resources which are underutilized. These heritage resources are potential for tourism attraction. So I created this enterprise to solve lack of tourism information among visitors who wants to visit kigoma, create affordable packages for tourists who dream to trekk the chimps both in Gombe and Mahale national Parks. To create employment opportunities and income generation activities among women and youth through engaging with them in community based tourism.

Impact since inception

We have created a group of 15 women who host visitors in traditional dances tour , local food cooking experience and Palm tree tour. 6 youth are hosting visitors in local canoeing and boat cruising imin lake Tanganyika.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

More than 30 women who are selling famous bed sheets in Kigoma have benefited from selling their bed sheets to tourists. While having customers we normally buy our food stuff from the local market.

How is this different?

Compared to other tourism companies that Operate in Kigoma our enterprise create unforgettable experience by connecting visitors direct with local community through community based tourism activities like traditional dances, local food cooking experience, Palm tree tour, local canoeing and boat cruising. This create income to women and youth who host the visitors. We promote local women market found in Kigoma ujiji where women sew and sell their famous bed sheets.

Patience Alifo

Ghanaian

Enterprise Description

Econexus Ventures Limited (ENVL) is a Ghanaian based social enterprise commercializing innovative clean energy solutions in Africa with a focus on sustainable biofuel and waste-to-energy production using environmentally friendly technologies. Our business venture is promoting the use of clean cooking fuels and stoves across West Africa by gradually replacing charcoal, firewood, and expensive LPG as rapidly as possible with clean-burning bio-ethanol gel fuels and stoves. Our fuel is made from the valorization of locally sourced organic waste.

What inspired you to start? 

My motivation for promoting easy access and affordable clean fuel comes from this personal story where my grandmother got paralyzed by a snake bite while fetching firewood to cook for the family in a small village called Kpeve located in the Volta region of Ghana. Growing up with passion to solve this major problem, I decided to venture into developing alternative sources of clean fuel for cooking to avoid this preventable accident from happening to many young girls and women in Africa who go out in search for fuel woods to meet household cooking needs.

Impact since inception

About 212 households now have access to clean-burning, affordable, and reliable locally-produced ethanol fuel for cooking. Deforestation and air quality in communities using our fuels and stoves have reduced by 15% and improved by 80% respectively. 10 direct jobs and 50 indirect jobs were created for youth and women. 350 tonnes of PET bottles have been collected and used to bottle our clean-burning ethanol fuel for users.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

212 Families

How is this different?

The clean cooking fuel (ethanol gel fuel and liquid ethanol fuel) we produce is a renewable product made from locally sourced pineapple peels, organic waste (cashew apples and sugarcane molasses). It is a smokeless fuel which burns cleaner and 3 times longer than the current traditional cooking fuels of dung, crop waste, wood, charcoal, and liquid kerosene being used by the majority of urban and low-income Ghanaians.

Andrew Mpashi

Zambian

Enterprise Description

Twalima agro solutions is a social enterprise helping improve the lives of farmers in zambia, the company was founded in 2020 although was officially incorporated as a limited company by shares in January 2022. We are re-inventing and re-imagining energy systems in agriculture by designing, manufacturing and installing low tech prefabricated portable bio digester systems and gas cookstoves for energy poverty rural communities in southern province of zambia. Biogas systems are the most effective way of addressing energy poverty especially among rural livestock farmers, as such our bio digester systems are helping local farmers with clean cooking and heating energies.

What inspired you to start? 

The idea for twalima agro was inspired by personal experiences and the desire to help lessen the challenges farmers in our community face. I was raised in a farming background where most residents in our community were small holder livestock and horticulture farmers, our community was not connected to the national electricity grid despite being located less than 20 kilometer from the central business district (the community is now connected to the national grid though most households are still not connected to electricity). It was clear there was a huge need for packaging solutions that are 100% eco-friendly and do not in any way contribute to environmental pollution and climate change.

Impact since inception

We have directly provided clean cooking energy to 10 households in mazabuka by installing the portable bio digesters, we plan to increase clean energy access especially in low income communities through our CLUSTER MODEL where we are grouping houses in clusters of 5 and 10. Our 2023 target is to serve more than 100 households. Besides increasing access to cheap clean energy, we are also creating economic and environmental impacts in or communities. we have created 6 direct jobs and 21 indirect jobs in our enterprise.

Number of beneficiaries since inception

100+

How is this different?

Currently on the Zambian commercial bio gas market, there is no organization/company offering low tech prefab portable bio digesters. The available biogas generation solutions in zambia are dome-like bio digesters built mostly from concrete and brickwork. Such type of bio digesters are quite expensive for local farmers to afford and international organizations such as SNV subsidize their construction. Our bio digesters are designed and prefabricated in our workshops then shipped, assembled and installed on the farmers/customer premises, this reduces technical and cost inefficiencies that arise from on-site construction of biodigester systems.