Carbon credit projects in Africa and developing countries: who finances them
103 matching capital sources on the ASFIP database · Last checked October 2026
Africa produces a small share of global carbon credits relative to its potential, but clean cooking, forestry and land restoration, off-grid solar, sustainable agriculture and blue carbon projects are growing fast. Many of these projects only become financeable once carbon revenue is added.
This page lists the carbon funds, buyers, developers and national carbon authorities on our database active in Africa and other developing countries.
Common carbon project types
Clean cooking (improved and electric cookstoves), forest protection and restoration (REDD+, afforestation), off-grid solar and mini-grids, regenerative agriculture and soil carbon, mangroves and blue carbon, and methane capture from waste and agriculture.
How carbon projects get financed
Carbon funds and developers finance certification in exchange for a share of credits; buyers prepay against future delivery; results-based finance facilities pay per verified tonne; and development banks blend carbon revenue into wider project finance.
Know your host country's rules
More African governments now require carbon projects to register, share revenue or obtain authorisation, especially for Article 6 transfers. Check with the national carbon authority before signing any offtake.
The funders
Each profile shows mandate, instruments and sector appetite. Verified contacts and application routes are available to members.
- Microsoft Carbon Removal ProcurementCommercial Investor · United StatesOne of the largest corporate buyers of durable carbon removal globally, running annual procurement rounds that have included African cookstove, biochar, reforestation and BECCS suppliers.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- Singapore Carbon Tax Article 6 ProcurementCarbon Finance Mechanism · SingaporeSingapore allows carbon-taxable companies to surrender authorised Article 6.2 credits, and has signed implementation agreements and MOUs with several African countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- Symbiosis CoalitionCarbon Finance Mechanism · United StatesBuyers coalition of Google, Meta, Microsoft and Salesforce contracting high-quality nature-based restoration credits, with tenders open to African restoration projects.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- BioCarbon PartnersCarbon Finance Mechanism · ZambiaZambia-headquartered, award-winning REDD+ project developer that structures and finances forest carbon offset projects across Zambia and Mozambique, channelling carbon credit revenue into community conservation payments and protecting over 2.1 million hectares of dryland forest through its flagship Luangwa Community Forests Project.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- NextGen CDR FacilityCarbon Finance Mechanism · SwitzerlandJoint venture of South Pole and Mitsubishi Corporation aggregating corporate demand to buy durable carbon dioxide removal at scale, with African supply in its portfolio.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- LEAF CoalitionCarbon Finance Mechanism · United StatesPublic-private coalition purchasing jurisdictional REDD+ credits at scale, with African jurisdictions among signed agreements.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- Korea Article 6 / ITMO ProcurementGovernment Agency · South KoreaKorea uses internationally transferred mitigation outcomes towards its NDC and supports overseas mitigation projects, including African renewable energy and waste programmes.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based Finance
- Frontier ClimateCarbon Finance Mechanism · United StatesAdvance market commitment funded by Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, McKinsey and others, pre-purchasing permanent carbon removal including from African biochar and enhanced weathering suppliers.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based FinanceProject Preparation
- Wildlife Works CarbonCarbon Finance Mechanism · United StatesREDD+ project developer and financier providing upfront capital and carbon credit monetisation for forest conservation projects, including Mai Ndombe in DRC.Carbon Credits / ERPAProject PreparationResults-based Finance
- Article 6.2 Bilateral Cooperation - KliK FoundationCarbon Finance Mechanism · SwitzerlandSwiss compliance buyer procuring ITMOs under Article 6.2 bilateral agreements, with signed deals covering several African countries.Carbon Credits / ERPAResults-based FinanceAdvisory
- Japan Joint Crediting MechanismCarbon Finance Mechanism · JapanJapanese bilateral Article 6.2 crediting scheme with partner agreements across Africa, funding low-carbon technology deployment.Carbon Credits / ERPAGrantsResults-based Finance
Showing 11 of 103 matching capital sources. The remaining 92 — including their verified routes and eligibility criteria — are reserved for members.
Common questions
- Which carbon projects work best in Africa?
- Clean cooking, forestry and land restoration, off-grid energy and agriculture projects are the most common, because they combine large volumes with strong community co-benefits.
- How much does it cost to develop a carbon project?
- Certification, auditing and monitoring often cost from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars before first issuance, which is why many developers partner with carbon funds or prepaying buyers.
Related guides
Official sources: UNFCCC Article 6 · Verra · Gold Standard · ICVCM Core Carbon Principles. Reviewed by the iSustain Global research team against funders' published criteria.