Nedbank and Indalo Inclusive have launched the R10 million Nedbank Indalo Energy Resilience Fund to empower SMMEs, NGOs, and PBOs with interest-free financing for solar systems, inverters, and energy infrastructure. This initiative ensures operational continuity amid power cuts, cuts reliance on costly grid or diesel power, and drives long-term savings.
Poovi Pillay, Executive Head of Social Impact at Nedbank, says, “For entrepreneurs, small businesses, and social organisations, the ongoing energy crisis in South Africa is not just an inconvenience; it’s an existential threat to their very survival. You can’t grow a business, create jobs, or serve a community if the lights are constantly going off – or if the high costs of keeping them on are eroding your bottom line.”
Rest Kanju, Executive Director of Indalo Inclusive, adds, “Through this fund, we’re using finance – and the accompanying support we provide – as a catalyst to keep businesses productive, protect livelihoods, and speed up the shift to cleaner energy. It’s about enabling resilience in the places where it is needed most.”
South Africa’s energy crisis continues to cripple small businesses and non-profits, with unreliable electricity and soaring costs undermining productivity and jobs. A recent survey by Nedbank and the Township Entrepreneurs Alliance revealed that 66% of township-based SMMEs have cut jobs due to load-shedding, with many facing revenue losses or operational standstills during blackouts.
Building on the Nedbank Indalo Fund’s success, which has supported over 1,300 businesses and created 2,900 jobs since 2021, the Energy Resilience Fund offers capital, technical support, and capacity-building. It will track impacts like energy savings, job retention, and community benefits, with repayments reinvested to sustain the program.
Applications open on 7 August 2025 for qualifying SMMEs, NGOs, and PBOs. For more details or to apply, visit Nedbank Indalo Energy Resilience Fund | Indalo Inclusive.
