com'saa

What com'saa does

CoM SSA (Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa) is a non-profit regional climate initiative launched in 2015 as the official Sub-Saharan Africa chapter of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM). The organization supports over 400 signatory local governments across 42 countries, representing approximately 137 million people, in developing and implementing Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs) through three pillars: Energy Access, Climate Mitigation, and Climate Adaptation.

The initiative's core technology and product portfolio centers on the SEACAP methodology, supported by the SEACAP Toolbox (step-by-step presentations for each pillar), the SEACAP Guidebook, the Urban Smart Energy (USE) assessment product for renewable energy and energy efficiency feasibility in public buildings, the Proxy Data Tool for greenhouse gas inventory development, and the first gender mainstreaming guides for climate action in sub-Saharan Africa. Delivery is operationalized through a co-implementing partner network including ICLEI Africa (which hosts the Secretariat in Cape Town), GIZ, and Expertise France, with engagement channels spanning direct technical assistance, regional forums, city-to-city exchanges, webinars, and participation in global climate events (COP27, COP28, COP29, Africa Urban Forum).

The business model is grant-funded with no commercial revenue: CoM SSA is co-funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), with additional support from partners such as the French Development Agency (AFD). Services are provided free of charge to signatory cities, and the organization operates with 11-50 staff through a multi-stakeholder governance structure anchored by a Steering Committee and Regional Mayors Forum.

Name

com'saa

Legal name

Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Website

https://comssa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CoM SSA is a non-profit, donor-funded regional climate initiative supporting over 400 signatory local governments across 42 Sub-Saharan African countries in developing sustainable energy access and climate action plans through technical assistance, standardized planning tools, and a partner delivery network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Climate Action Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms (EUABAEAD), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC)

Keywords

• Climate action planning
• Sustainable energy access
• Municipal capacity building
• Local government advisory
• City climate initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor/Funder Grants: CoM SSA is a grant-funded initiative supported by multiple international donors. Funding comes from the European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). No commercial revenue model exists.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CoM SSA supports local governments and municipalities across Sub-Saharan Africa in developing and implementing climate action and sustainable energy plans through the SEACAP framework. It provides planning toolkits (SEACAP Toolbox, SEACAP Guidebook), the Urban Smart Energy (USE) product, the Proxy Data Tool, Gender Mainstreaming Guides, online training courses, and capacity-building programs such as City LABs and Urban Labs. Services are delivered free of charge through a network of implementing partners including ICLEI Africa, GIZ, and Expertise France, and funded by the European Union, BMZ, and AECID.

Product overview

CoM SSA (Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa) is a climate action initiative that supports local governments across sub-Saharan Africa through a portfolio of planning tools, training programs, and technical products. The core offering is the SEACAP (Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan) process, supported by the SEACAP Toolbox and SEACAP Guidebook. The initiative also offers standardized products like Urban Smart Energy (USE) for renewable energy assessments, and training products including the Climate Finance Course and SEACAP Course. Additional offerings include the Proxy Data Tool for emissions inventory, Gender Guides for inclusive planning, and city-level initiatives like City LAB and Urban Lab for localized climate solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SEACAP (Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan) A comprehensive climate action planning document that outlines a city's strategies, plans, and actions for sustainable and low-emission development, incorporating adaptation actions and ensuring access to secure, affordable, and sustainable energy for sub-Saharan African signatory local governments.
• SEACAP Toolbox An easy-to-use, step-by-step digital resource providing presentations and supporting materials for each of the three pillars of SEACAP: Energy Access, Climate Mitigation, and Climate Adaptation. Used by local government staff to develop their SEACAP.
• SEACAP Guidebook A practical guide for sustainable energy and climate action planning in African cities that provides the technical framework for the three pillars of the CoM SSA initiative.
• Urban Smart Energy (USE) A standardized CoM SSA product focused on developing decentralised energy systems and energy efficiency measures on county-owned sites, assessing the feasibility of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects across public buildings owned by cities.
• Proxy Data Tool A tool that allows local governments to develop a Greenhouse Gas inventory in just a few hours without extensive data collection exercises, addressing the chronic data gap across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Gender Mainstreaming Guides Gender guides specific for local governments on climate action planning and project implementation, described as the first such guides launched in sub-Saharan Africa.
• SEACAP Course A self-paced online course designed to guide local governments through the full SEACAP process from strategy development to implementation, delivered through the CoM SSA Learning Portal.
• Climate Finance Course A self-learning online course that teaches government officials in signatory cities how to unlock finance for climate action, preparing participants to deliver on their mandates to secure investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.
• City LAB (Local Adaptation Booster) A collaborative initiative uniting local and international experts in creating sustainable, locally tailored solutions to enhance adaptation to climate change in African cities, exemplified by the Mombasa City LAB on urban flooding.
• Urban Lab An initiative focused on creating sustainable urban systems in African cities, exemplified by the Abuja Urban Lab for efficient waste management governance delivered in partnership with Nile University and GIZ.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 climate and energy badges awarded to signatories in 2025 for reporting progress
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoM SSA is the official regional chapter of GCoM for Sub-Saharan Africa. This provides legitimacy, global connectivity, alignment with international standards, and access to GCoM's network and resources.
• ICLEI AfricacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosts the CoM SSA Secretariat and provides technical support for climate action planning and implementation across the network.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-implementing partner delivering Urban Smart Energy (USE) product, City Labs, and other climate action support services. Works under CIVIC Platform - Climate Resilient Infrastructure Investment in Cities.
• Expertise FrancecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-implementing partner providing technical assistance, capacity building, and support for SEACAP development in multiple countries including Togo, Uganda, Kenya, and others.
• UN-HabitatmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical support partner collaborating on climate action planning workshops and urban development initiatives.
• REN21majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Regional Dialogue on Renewable Energy, contributing expertise on renewable energy status and trends in cities.
• Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the CoM SSA initiative with technical partners, providing governance and coordination.
• Climate AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner facilitating city-to-city partnerships such as Kampala-Karlsruhe knowledge exchange on smart city projects.
• FEICOM (Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, Cameroon)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Cameroon's municipal support fund to strengthen climate action at national level and improve access to funding for municipalities.
• Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to host first in-person climate finance learning lab in Windhoek, bringing together financiers and local governments.
• African Union CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Africa Urban Forum 2, providing high-level convening power and continental reach.
• Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborative partner on the Dallas ASILI project in Embu County, Kenya, focusing on green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.
• PSS UrbaniasupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsultancy partner in Ghana providing expertise for Sekondi-Takoradi's SEACAP data collection efforts.
• Enda EnergiesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal partner in Senegal helping cities develop bankable projects and organizing national climate workshops.
• GCoM-ÖkobitsupportingTechnology or IntegrationBiogas pilot project partner implementing waste-to-energy solutions in Mombasa, Basse, and Sekondi-Takoradi.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/covenant-of-mayors-in-sub-saharan-africa-com-ssa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about com'saa