Financing for Nature‑Positive Private Sector Enterprises in Central Africa – Call for Expressions of Interest under the Pro‑Congo Programme. ​

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), under the Pro‑Congo programme, is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from private enterprises in the Congo Basin to access blended financing and technical assistance for nature‑positive, deforestation‑free and climate‑resilient business models. The initiative targets MSMEs that can drive sustainable land use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity and create inclusive livelihoods through activities in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, forest-industry transformation, landscape restoration, and ecotourism. Selected enterprises may receive a customised financing package (reimbursable grants and/or concessional loans) complemented by tailored technical support, and will go through UNCDF’s standard investment screening, due diligence and approval processes.​

The call aims to unlock innovative private-sector solutions in climate‑vulnerable and forest‑rich landscapes across Central Africa, focusing on enterprises that can scale zero‑deforestation supply chains, clean and efficient energy solutions, sustainable timber and forest management models, restoration and afforestation projects, and conservation‑linked ecotourism ventures. Supported businesses are expected to deliver measurable outcomes such as climate‑resilient economic transformation, improved natural capital management, job creation and income gains for local communities (especially women, youth and Indigenous Peoples), GHG mitigation, digital and financial inclusion, and mobilisation of additional private capital.​

Eligible countries

Applicants must be legally registered and actively operating in at least one of the following priority countries in the Congo Basin region:​

• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Republic of Congo (Congo‑Brazzaville)
• Gabon
• Cameroon

Reference number: SRC‑000003.​

Region: West and Central Africa (Congo Basin focus).​

Recipient type: MSMEs (formally registered private companies).​

Deadline:

• 28 February 2026, 23:59 GMT (EOI submission deadline).​

Duration / tenor of support:

• Typically 2–3 years, with potential for longer tenors for capital‑intensive or land‑use projects with longer payback periods.​

Funding amounts and instruments

Applicants can request between USD 250,000 and USD 1,500,000 in support.​

UNCDF can structure a blended financing package combining:​

• Concessional loans
  • Aimed at growth‑stage enterprises with stable or growing revenues and demonstrated repayment capacity.
  • Disbursements are linked to performance milestones (e.g. revenues, hectares restored, jobs created, emissions reduced).​
• Reimbursable grants
  • Designed for early‑ to mid‑stage enterprises needing patient capital; repayment triggered by pre‑agreed milestones (e.g. revenue thresholds, follow‑on investment).​
  • Instruments include:
    • Seed capital grants: early‑stage, SDG‑aligned nature‑positive business model development, with repayment based on a pre‑agreed share of capital generated plus interest.​
    • Working capital grants: strengthen operations and address market/liquidity bottlenecks, generally non‑repayable but may include partial recovery clauses.​

In addition, UNCDF may provide in‑kind technical assistance, such as business model refinement, market entry/expansion strategies, and advice on digital and renewable energy solutions (e.g. traceability tools, smart agriculture, productive‑use energy).​

Eligibility criteria (high level)

To be considered, applicants must meet the following basic requirements:​

• Entity type:
  • Be a formally registered private company classified as an MSME in at least one eligible country.​
• Geographic eligibility:
  • Legally registered and actively operating in at least one of: DRC, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon.​
• Thematic alignment:
  • Demonstrate alignment with at least one priority area of intervention, such as:
    • Sustainable agriculture and agro‑industry (deforestation‑free outgrower schemes, sustainable intensification, value‑addition infrastructure, clean energy for processing).​
    • Renewable energy and emissions reduction (efficient cookstoves, improved charcoal kilns, alternative fuels, cogeneration, productive‑use renewables).​
    • Forest industry and sustainable timber (certified concessions, reduced‑impact logging, certified transformation, co‑generation from sawmill waste).​
    • Landscape restoration, reforestation & afforestation (agroforestry, plantations, degraded land restoration, conservation concessions, integrated livelihood‑conservation models).​
    • Ecotourism and protected area co‑management (eco‑lodges, visitor facilities, ecotourism operations linked to conservation and community benefit sharing).​
• Impact potential:
  • Show potential contributions to key impact areas such as climate‑resilient economic transformation, sustainable livelihoods, improved natural capital management, GHG mitigation and adaptation, digital and financial inclusion, and mobilisation of additional capital.​
• Compliance and transparency:
  • Not engage in prohibited activities (as listed in Annex 1 of the call).​
  • Be willing to undergo UNCDF due diligence, share impact data, and comply with UNCDF’s ESG safeguards and reporting requirements.​
• Complete submission:
  • Submit a full and compliant EOI package according to the specified application templates and guidelines.​

Applicants must also provide:​

• Annual financial statements for the last three completed financial years (plus latest management accounts if the last year is not final).
• Unaudited year‑to‑date financials.
• CVs/bios of key staff, organisational chart, and any relevant external reports.

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