Very easy to invest in projects that do good in Africa and help the climate, within a tax-free IFISA. The platform makes keeping track of all one's investments very easy. Obviously with this type of i... See more
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I've used the platform for some years to put money to good use for renewable energy in Africa. Interest rates are good, but that reflects the increased risk of these projects, and I have lost signifi... See more
Company replied
Energise Africa have consistently performed well, having used them to invest since 2018. Their online platform, their management of these emerging market bonds, and their comms when things don't work... See more
Company replied
Energise Africa enables small or larger investors to invest money in African projects to provide solar energy to small villages and businesses. Most African villages have no energy sources. This is... See more
Company details
Written by the company
Put your money to work fighting climate change. Target up to 8% annual returns investing in companies that provide solar energy access to African families. Start with as little as £50. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high - risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.
Join thousands of investors bringing light to sub-Saharan Africa!
Written by the company
- Energise Africa enables you to invest directly in de-risked projects that brigh clean energy access.
- Register an account with Energise Africa and you can join thousands of UK investors who are investing from as little as £50 to support pioneering businesses bringing clean, solar energy access to off-grid homes in sub-Saharan Africa, targeting returns of up to 8%. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high - risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.
Contact info
The Old Music Hall, 106 - 108 Cowley Road,, OX4 1JE, Oxford, United Kingdom
- help@energiseafrica.com
- energiseafrica.com
4.7
Excellent
639 reviews
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Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
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Hassle free yet informative
The process was hassle free yet informative in the nature of the investment. First time though I have actually invested via their website.
December 13, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Be very careful investing here
Be very careful investing here. I made 2 investments in African companies both of whom collapsed over the last year or so. I lost half money invested in the first instance, ALL that I invested in the second company which appears to have collapsed within a few weeks of my investment. I've made a number of investme to on other similar platforms with no bad experience and I am not naive about the risks involved. To make 2 investme ts here both of which companies have collapsed suggests poor or at least inadequate selection of likely viable schemes. EA have kept me informed of their futile attempts to engage with the companies after collapse.....this amounts to an email roughly every 6 months and hopes of any recovery sounded forlorn from the start. I'm sure others may have had a better experience. I personally would not go near this outfit again
December 16, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Energise Africa
Dear Allan,
Thank you for sharing your review. We value all feedback we receive here, as it helps us improve and better serve our investors.
We are sorry to hear that your experience with Energise Africa has not been positive, and we would like to address the concerns you’ve raised.
We go to great lengths to make it clear that investing in early-stage businesses, particularly in developing countries, involves inherent risks. Nevertheless, to date, our issuers have repaid over £27 million in capital and interest to investors.
Energise Africa has a well-developed and thorough due diligence process where organisations are individually assessed by our team. All offers are signed off by an independent credit committee and are also subject to review to ensure relevant statements are verified and the promotion is fair, clear and not misleading.
However, as you will be aware, recent years have seen factors like the pandemic, inflation, and local currency fluctuations, which have posed challenges for some of our bond issuers and the low-income communities they support. Unfortunately, this means that some of the issuers have had to wind up their businesses.
When issuers face payment difficulties, our team works tirelessly to recover funds for our bondholders wherever possible. We are dedicated to keeping investors informed, and we do this as soon as there is any information available.
We are also working on new investment products that are still highly impactful but will enable investors to better manage risk.
At Energise Africa, we are an impact investment platform at our core. Our interest rates reflect our mission to provide affordable financing to businesses that are creating significant positive change. While financial returns may not always match traditional market rates, our investors understand and value the social and environmental impact that comes with supporting these ventures.
Through their investments, Energise Africa investors have already helped provide access to electricity for over 750,000 people and have avoided 800,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. While we understand that financial loss is concerning, we encourage investors to consider the broader positive impact of their investments, which contribute to transformative social and environmental changes.
If you would like to discuss your investment further, our team would be happy to speak with you directly. Please feel free to reach out to us at help@energiseafrica.com.
Once again, thank you for your feedback; we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Regards,
The Energise Africa team
Avoid - Too many investments gone sour
With a heavy heart, I would strongly discourage folk from investing any more in these schemes. A large number of my investments have gone sour, with some not even having started to pay back any funds. Investors have now been advised that the folk involved in the companies have disappeared, and all debts are being written off. The relatively modest returns of 5% to 6% are not sufficient for schemes which appear to have a high chance of failure. As a guide, I am looking about 30% of the value of my investments, across several different organisations, being written off. There are lots of alternative UK based ethical investment opportunities which appear much more resilient, and with much better regulation, and so are a better home for your money.
December 12, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Energise Africa
Thank you for your review – we value all feedback.
We are sorry to hear that your experience investing through Energise Africa has not been positive, and we would like to respond to the comments you have made.
The warnings on our website and offer documents highlight the risks of investing in early-stage businesses in developing countries. Recently, the pandemic, inflation, and local currency weakness have made things more difficult for some of our bond issuers and the low-income communities they serve. Meanwhile, equity investors have been less willing to sustain businesses through a tough period. Despite this, our issuers have repaid investors £27 million in capital plus interest.
When companies face payment difficulties, our team works diligently to recover funds wherever possible for our bondholders. Generally, we receive cooperation and support from the company management in doing so but there have been occasions when the management team moves on and recovery becomes more difficult. In such cases, our team will continue our efforts as long as there is some chance of recovery.
Energise Africa is primarily an impact investment platform. Our interest rates reflect our commitment to providing affordable financing to companies making a significant positive impact. While financial returns may not always be at market levels, investors who prioritise environmental and social impact will find our bonds suitable and understand the associated risks.
Our focus is on empowering investors to create meaningful, positive change through their investments. Providing access to electricity is transformative, improving lives and reducing carbon emissions. Energise Africa investors have already helped over 750,000 people and avoided 765,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Again, thank you for taking the time to review, we do appreciate your feedback.
Regards,
The Energise Africa team
simple nothing complicated
December 5, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Clear investment documentation
Clear investment documentation
Great local projects
Previously successful on a ground level,
Although not clear what brokerage fee is made by energise Africa
November 23, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello,
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on TrustPilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Invest in Energise Africa
I find it rewarding to invest in Energise Africa, which tackles climate change by supporting projects in Africa such as Roam, who are developing the transition to clean transport in Kenya, and consequently reduces carbon emissions.
November 17, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Long time investor with energiseafrica.
Long time investor with energiseafrica.
Very helpful.
November 13, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Great scheme and website
All investments so far have paid out, and it feels good to be investing in developing countries and in the environment. Website is easy to use, including adding funds to my account.
October 15, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Investing in electric bikes in Kenya!
An investment opportunity to do something really worthwhile, helping framers in Kenya and the climate crisis at the same time. of course there are risks with the investment, but a good financial return, and a real feeling of personal satisfaction.
October 11, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Straightforward and efficient
Straightforward to deal with. Very good communication and easy to navigate and understand website.
October 2, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Great if you want to lose money
If you want to lose money, these are the people for you. A large number of their bonds have turned sour with levels of recovery varying from nothing to not a lot. Some of it can be put down to COVID, but a lot of these businesses seem quite shaky. You could understand this if the interest rates were commensurate with the risk, but they aren't much higher than a fixed interest bank account. By all means invest if you want to support these projects, but be aware it's very likely you'll end up with less money than you started with.
August 22, 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Energise Africa
Dear Andrew
Thank you for your review – we value all feedback.
We are sorry to hear that your experience investing through Energise Africa has not been positive, and we would like to respond to the comments you have made.
The warnings on our website and offer documents highlight the risks of investing in early-stage businesses in developing countries. Recently, the pandemic, inflation, and local currency weakness have made things more difficult for some of our bond issuers and the low-income communities they serve. Meanwhile, equity investors have been less willing to sustain businesses through a tough period. Despite this, our issuers have repaid investors £27 million in capital plus interest.
When companies face payment difficulties, our team works diligently to recover funds wherever possible for our bondholders. Energise Africa is also working to expand our range of investment opportunities to help investors diversify their portfolios and mitigate risk.
Energise Africa is primarily an impact investment platform. Our interest rates reflect our commitment to providing affordable financing to companies making a significant positive impact. While financial returns may not always be at market levels, investors who prioritise environmental and social impact will find our bonds suitable and understand the associated risks.
Our focus is on empowering investors to create meaningful, positive change through their investments. Providing access to electricity is transformative, improving lives and reducing carbon emissions. Energise Africa investors have already helped over 750,000 people and avoided 765,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
While financial loss is a serious matter, it's important to consider the broader impact of your investment. Our investors have contributed to positive social and environmental change, improving lives and reducing carbon emissions.
Our team will be happy to discuss any aspect of your investment portfolio with you directly, please get in touch by email help@energiseafrica.com
Again, thank you for taking the time to review, we do appreciate your feedback.
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Honest + easy to use
Have used them for a few years to invest in energy projects in developing countries. I find their communications and platform excellent and easy to use. Just wish they offered more funding opportunities.
You have to remember any investments are at risk with these loans - the platform is up front and clear about that. In a case where a project I invested in hit the bricks they were good at keeping me updated about what they are doing in response.
July 23, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Moving funds to ifsa
There is no apparent way to move non Lisa funds into an investment which pays into the ifsa
June 27, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Thank you for your review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot.
In answer to your question, investors cannot redeem bonds early on Energise Africa as the bonds have a fixed maturity date, even in probate cases. Once an offer is closed or the funds drawn-down then there is no way to transfer the investment into an IFISA. This is not unique to Energise Africa but common to all platforms. The only process to do this would be to sell the investment, convert the cash to your IFISA account and re-investing it.
We hope this is helpful and if this doesn’t fully address your concerns or if you have any other questions please do contact us at help@energiseafrica.com
Regards,
The Energise Africa team
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Highly responsible organisation
I'm keen to invest in ethical projects, but it's not always easy to know how reliable they are. EnergiseAfrica vet the projects on their platform in advance, and on an ongoing basis, and are very up-front about degree of risk. I have found them to be an excellent organisation to be associated with.
May 14, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
Direct support for change
A great way to support organisations with funding for them to make a real change.
April 24, 2024
Reply from Energise Africa
Hello
We just wanted to say a quick thank you for leaving a 5-star review of Energise Africa on Trustpilot. We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are delighted you are happy with the service we provide!
Yours,
The Energise Africa team
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