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Burkina Faso, Uganda and Zambia welcome power investees

Sun King’s portable solar phone charging. (Image source: Sun King)

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) has signed new agreements with energy service companies to support the expansion and scale-up of off-grid stand-alone solar home systems in Burkina Faso, Uganda and Zambia

Further agreements have been signed with FINCA Plus LLC Uganda, Sun King (Greenlight Planet Zambia Limited), Qotto SARL BF and Bboxx (Advens Bboxx Burkina Faso SAS) which is expected to benefit up to 2.5 million people living in remote areas across the countries.

FINCA Plus LLC, known as BrightLife Uganda, provides access to affordable products to markets to improve the daily lives of low-income customers living in remote areas. FINCA will receive results-based financing from BGFA to expand and scale its operations and distribute some 136,700 new energy service subscriptions in the form of light, phone charging, TVs and refrigeration in rural areas of eastern and northern Uganda.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with BGFA, which will support our mission to bring clean and reliable energy solutions to communities throughout Uganda. BGFA’s technical assistance will further strengthen our sales, after-sales support, customer management and fundraising capabilities. Together, we will drive sustainable impact and improve lives across the country,” surmised Laurynas Vaiciulis,CEO, BrightLife Uganda (FINCA Plus, LLC).

Sun King provides energy for 1.8 billion consumers across Africa and Asia who lack access to reliable electricity and designs, finances and installs small-scale off-grid photovoltaic systems, such as solar lanterns and stand-alone solar home systems.

The organisation started its operations in Zambia in 2021 and has already provided more than 220,000 Zambian homes with light and power. BGFA funding will enable Sun King to offer inclusive pay-as-you-go financing to off-grid Zambian communities with limited access to finance. The aim is to install approximately 229,000 new high-quality, clean and affordable energy systems in remote areas of Zambia, which will benefit more than one million people.

Qotto BF is the local subsidiary of the French holding company Qotto SAS registered in Burkina Faso in 2018. The company has proven experience delivering essential services in off-grid areas and installed more than 14,300 solar home systems. Qotto BF will receive financing from BGFA to expand operations across the country with the aim to install up to approximately 21,200 off-grid stand-alone solar home systems.

Jean-Baptiste Lenoir, co-founder and chairman of Qotto, remarked, “We are happy to start our partnership with BGFA. With this funding, we will expand and scale our operations in hard-to-reach areas. This will also help Qotto develop a new essential refrigeration service. Qotto will use BGFA’s technical assistance to strengthen its organisation and thus ensure a sustainable future by delivering essential services in Burkina Faso.”

Bboxx is a company established in 2010 that provides clean energy and other services such as clean cooking to households, small businesses and institutions across 10 Africa countries. With results-based financing from BGFA, Bboxx will be able to expand its business in Burkina Faso through its local joint venture with Geocoton Advens Group. The aim is to distribute up to 100,000 new high-quality, clean and affordable solutions through lights, chargers, radios, torches and TVs.

“The BGFA programme is a major step forward in tackling a key obstacle to achieving universal electrification in Burkina Faso,” said Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and co-founder of Bboxx. “Tackling energy poverty is the first step in overcoming poverty as a whole, and the BGFA programme is a core component to achieve 100% electrification at scale, and it will have a positive impact on the wider Burkinabé economy. Access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity has transformational benefits for households, communities and SMEs as energy is the entry point unlocking access to all other essential utilities. This programme will enable us to positively transform the lives of more than 500,000 people across Burkina Faso.”

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