Twenty-two energy firms in six sub-Sahara African countries have received a $100,000 grant each to help them electrify rural communities that are not connected to the national grids of countries they operate in.

The energy firms were chosen from over 300 entries that applied for the Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge sponsored by General Electric (GE), the United States Africa Development Foundation (USADF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Off-Grid Challenge is part of Power Africa, an initiative of U.S President Obama to increase access to reliable, affordable, cleaner and more sustainable power in Sub-Saharan Africa. Companies that submitted entries for the contest were requested to describe how renewable energy resources can be deployed to power socio-economic activities within rural communities.

“The purpose of the challenge is to make available small business proposals of innovative ideas for rural electrification. We hope will assist these entrepreneurs break into the commercial power generation market,” said USADF chief, Shari Berenbach.

Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, where epileptic power supply remains a major drawback for businesses, had four recipients awarded a $100,000 each. The companies are Ginphed Nigeria Limited, Quintas Renewable Energy Solutions, Sky Resources and Topstep Nigeria.

Four companies – Jamii Power Limited, L’s Solution Limited, Lung’ali Natural Resources Company Limited and Space Engineering – were also chosen in Kenya. Other companies were selected from Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia and Tanzania.

GE Africa’s Global Supply Chain Leader, Phil Griffith, said his company is impressed with the quality of the projects, adding that it further validates the company’s belief that “adequate investment in human capital is a key driver of socio-economic growth anywhere in the world.”