Press release | Social Entrepreneurship |

Sustainable, affordable, and local: e-Cargo Bikes “Made in Ghana” program a pathway to achieving net-zero carbon emissions

"Made in Ghana" systematically anchors climate-friendly mobility solutions and creates green training opportunities and jobs in Ghana.
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Siemens Stiftung and Impact Hub Accra reaffirm their commitment to the Ghanaian government’s target of achieving a 15% reduction in the country’s CO2 emissions by 2030. Together they are implementing the
e-Cargo Bikes “Made in Ghana” project co-funded by the German government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). It facilitates the decarbonization of transportation in Ghana by testing business models, building appropriate charging infrastructure to establish an electric mobility platform, and bringing relevant stakeholders to drive e-mobility solutions in the region.

Dr. Nina Smidt, Managing Director and Spokesperson of the Board of Directors at Siemens Stiftung, joined Will Senyo, CEO of Impact Hub Accra, and around 50 other entrepreneurs and stakeholders from the e-mobility ecosystem in Osu, Accra. The internationally operative foundation Siemens Stiftung has been engaged in various regional initiatives. Today it committed to further its partnership with Impact Hub Accra and local entrepreneurs in realizing the net-zero Accra target by establishing local value chains for the production and operation of electric cargo bikes. Using a social entrepreneurial approach, the project is promoting a circular economy by facilitating the recycling, development, assembly, and production of electric mobility in totality in Ghana.

“Sustainable mobility and transport are vital to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on sustainable cities and communities. It also promotes the implementation of other SDGs, such as access to education or health, as mobility is one of the fundamental conditions for sustainable, economic, and societal development in a country. I’m extremely happy to be in Accra today to meet the stakeholders leading the charge for the decarbonization of the Ghanaian economy along with bridging the gap from public transit to the destination by providing last mile connectivity”, explains Dr. Nina Smidt. “As a center for innovation and entrepreneurship, our Net Zero Accra project is dedicated to driving progress in the electric vehicle (EV) gig economy and developing a robust charging network for two-wheel transportation and last mile delivery in Ghana. This project presents a remarkable opportunity to pioneer the exploration of ideas within the electric mobility sector and expand our reach to various practical applications. Collaboratively, we are working with regional institutions, businesses, academics, and administration on technical issues to foster more sustainable, accessible, inclusive, and efficient urban transportation in the country”, adds Will Senyo, CEO of Impact Hub Accra. As a part of their ongoing initiatives, a Design Sprint workshop with students, graduates and e-mobility enthusiasts was organized to generate new ideas. Eight winners of the program have joined the Impact Hub Accra team for 12 months to develop their skills and capabilities and preparing themselves to take the next step in working on practical and implementable electric mobility solutions.

Additionally, Siemens Stiftung has launched a new call for research and development (R&D) to validate and implement products and business models in the e-mobility sector. The call is open for enterprises operative in the e-mobility value chain in Ghana and Uganda. The selected enterprises will conduct R&D projects for 12 months to improve the market readiness of their solutions and increase the social and ecological impact of e-mobility.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Smidt joined enterprise Wahu!’s (formerly Mana Mobility) foundress Valerie Labi and Commercial Lead Victor Bannerman-Chedid at the launch of 60 new electric cargo bikes. Wahu! is producing electric vehicles tailor-made for and manufactured in Africa as well as consulting Impact Hub Accra in piloting the local manufacturing of e-cargo bikes. With the addition of the new fleet to existing transport systems, the social enterprise is furthering to the net-zero initiative along with building local capabilities to produce electric vehicles.

About Impact Hub Accra
Impact Hub Accra is a leading social entrepreneurship and innovation center in Ghana. The mission is to support inclusive growth in West Africa through the creation of a resilient and dynamic social innovation ecosystem. Working with local and international private and public partners, it empowers local entrepreneurs, helping them fulfill their potential to become active change makers. Now with its ongoing growth project, Ako Adjei Park, Impact Hub Accra is taking its vision to the next level. The vision is to build a 20,000sqm mixed-use (live-work-play) campus of up to 20 buildings, with workspaces and growth support programs for the city’s boldest innovators.
accra.impacthub.net/

About the IKI
The International Climate Initiative (IKI) is an important part of the German government’s international climate finance commitment. Since 2022 the IKI is implemented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA). Through the IKI, the ministries jointly support approaches in developing and emerging countries to implement and ambitiously develop the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) anchored in the Paris Agreement.
international-climate-initiative.com/en/

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