Rockefeller Foundation mobilises $3bn for investment in Africa

The Rockefeller Foundation has launched its 2025 Impact Report: Big Bets, Real Results, outlining major investments and outcomes across its priority sectors, including Universal Energy Abundance and Regenerative School Meals.

The report captures the Foundation’s interventions in a challenging global environment marked by declining international aid and rising economic uncertainty.

Despite these pressures, the 113-year-old institution reportedly awarded over US$350 million, mobilising approximately US$3 billion and committing $133.2 million to 66 initiatives across Africa, collectively reaching an estimated 731 million people worldwide.

According to the report, African-led partnerships and locally driven innovations are playing a critical role in strengthening health systems, boosting food security and expanding access to energy.

These interventions are also supporting disease prevention through improved laboratory networks, enhancing agricultural resilience and advancing clean energy solutions across the continent.

In West Africa, a collaborative funding model developed by the Global Fund, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Abbott Foundation and IQVIA, is helping to build robust laboratory systems and expand real-time disease surveillance networks.

The initiative has so far detected more than 100 disease outbreaks, including viral haemorrhagic fevers, while training over 1,000 laboratory technicians.

Additionally, 11 countries in the sub-region have established sentinel surveillance systems to improve early detection and response to epidemic threats.

Ghana: Improving school nutrition

In Ghana, the Foundation is partnering with the World Food Programme to promote nutritious, locally sourced school meals while supporting smallholder farmers.

The programme, which spans six countries, focuses on linking schools directly to local food systems, encouraging the use of fortified whole grains and diverse protein sources.

It also assesses supply chain gaps and cultural factors affecting food delivery and acceptance, while equipping policymakers with evidence-based data on the long-term health and economic benefits of school feeding programmes.

Nigeria: Expanding energy access and digital farming

In Nigeria, efforts to scale energy access have led to the development of the country’s first interconnected mini-grid system, combining solar, battery storage and grid electricity.

The initiative has connected about 30,000 people to power, created or improved nearly 14,000 jobs and unlocked more than $287 million to support nationwide expansion.

Meanwhile, Digital Green’s AI-powered application, FarmerChat, is supporting farmers across multiple countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia, with tailored agricultural advice to address climate-related challenges.

The platform has recorded over 1.6 million downloads and processed more than 10 million queries, with 83 per cent of women users reporting increased confidence in farm investments.

Zambia: Driving rural electrification

In Zambia, access to reliable electricity is transforming rural enterprises.

Through Mission 300 – an initiative aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030 – more than 44 million people have already gained access to power through projects led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank. So far, 30 countries are advancing National Energy Compacts to accelerate electrification.

Commenting on the report, William Asiko, Senior Vice President and head of the Foundation’s Africa Regional Office, said the organisation’s 60-year presence in Africa reflects a broader shift in development strategy.

He noted that amid aid cuts, geopolitical tensions, climate change, and political transitions, sustaining progress is becoming increasingly difficult, necessitating stronger African-led solutions and partnerships.

The report, he added, underscores a growing emphasis on building local capacity across health, education, and energy sectors, while leveraging philanthropic capital to drive long-term, mission-oriented development across the continent.

 

 

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