Leon is a South Sudanese refugee living in Kibanda, Uganda. At night, a solar kit lights the room that his 8 children share so they can do homework and provides Leon power to charge his phone. Before he bought the kit, the family used torches that had to be replaced every two days.
Gloria is a registered midwife, working at a health center in Pamvara, Uganda, which previously used a lighting system powered by a diesel generator that continuously ran out of fuel, leaving them in the dark for days, sometimes weeks. Recently, the health center got a flexible solar system that allows lights to be placed where they are most needed, such as the postnatal ward or the labour room. Gloria no longer has to conduct deliveries in the dark at night or use her phone’s flashlight by holding it in her mouth to see what she is doing.
Leon and Gloria are among the 560 million people already benefiting from off-grid solar to power homes, farms, enterprises and public infrastructure, with renewable, standalone products that operate independently of the grid.
From 2020 to 2022, the off-grid solar sector delivered more than half of the new electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating its effectiveness as a renewable, quick and affordable solution to provide energy access that reaches the last mile, unlocking economic opportunity and climate benefits. According to the latest data from the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and GOGLA, the global off-grid solar industry association, off-grid solar is the fastest and least costly solution to bring electricity to an additional 400 million people, representing 41% of households who need to gain access to electricity to achieve universal electrification by 2030.
However, the sector needs to scale rapidly, as 600 million Africans still lack access to reliable electricity. This figure represents 80% of the global total and significantly limits almost half of Africa’s population from participating in the modern global economy.
People living without energy access are also frequently the most vulnerable to extreme weather events. Many live in rural areas, where their livelihoods are deeply impacted by weather. Off-grid solar irrigation and cooling can increase food security and solar-powered radios, TVs and phones can relay emergency information. Standalone solar kits are also stepping in to support energy systems struggling to cope with the challenge of a warming climate.
Recognizing this potential, governments and development organizations are increasingly integrating off-grid solar into national electrification strategies. For example, as part of Mission 300 – a commitment to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030 – both the African Development Bank and the World Bank have committed more $20 billion in concessional finance towards electrification projects, with a significant share driven by off-grid electrification.
As part of this effort, at the Africa Energy Summit in January 2025, 12 African governments signed national energy compacts, affirming their commitment to expanding off-grid solar access. Grant funders are also channeling more investments, for example, the IFC’s $300 million equity vehicle will provide patient equity capital to Distributed Renewable Energy companies, including off-grid solar companies.
Similarly, philanthropies and corporate foundations are stepping up through initiatives like the Catalytic Off-grid Funding Network (COFAN), which brings together catalytic capital providers to accelerate investment in off-grid solar. Launched to address the urgent need for concessional funding, COFAN is creating a collaborative platform to coordinate efforts, share knowledge, and amplify impact. Its goal is to de-risk the market, drive investment into underfunded geographies, and support fund managers and companies innovating in this space. Already, the network is helping funders identify blended finance models, connect with promising off-grid solar initiatives, and align funding with scalable, high-impact solutions.
This collective action is vital to closing the $2 billion grant funding gap and ensuring that universal energy access by 2030 becomes a reality.
With the right investments, we can bring electricity access via solar power to the world’s poorest communities like Leon’s and Gloria’s, making universal energy access a reality by 2030. In doing so, we can unlock economic opportunity, build climate-resilient communities and lift millions out of energy poverty, ensuring no one is left behind.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Vision of Humanity.
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