Uhuru Kenyatta announces Sh 15bn project with World Bank on off-grid solar electricity

The government of Kenya in association worth Sh 15 billion with the World Bank aims to improve energy access in 14 countries with low electrification rates.

The President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta announced the partnership at Global Off-Grid Solar Forum & Expo 2020 launched in Nairobi on Tuesday, February 18. This expo is the outcome of the association between The World Bank Group's Lighting Global Platform and Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA). The Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2020 has been launched on the sidelines of expo.

According to the Head of State, Uhuru Kenyatta, the government of Kenya seeks to provide energy to around 250,000 households and over 800 public facilities in the 14 countries. "To achieve our electrification programme through off-grid solutions, my administration recognizes the importance of partnering with the private sector," he said.

The event organized by GOGLA in association with the World Bank's Lighting Global Program on the off-grid solar energy industry intends to boost the development of the global off-grid solar market. This endeavour is aimed to fulfil the achievement of universal energy access target by 2030.

"We have achieved this feat on the basis of 6.2 million verified sales of solar products since 2009 and 14 million people accessing improved energy through off-grid solar solutions between the years 2016 and 2018. Kenya has become the world's second-largest standalone solar market after India," Uhuru Kenyatta cited.

"In 2019, we continued this upward trend, achieving 2 million sales of solar products. This tremendous growth in the uptake of off-grid solar solutions is an integral part of my administration's strategy towards the realization of universal access to electricity," he added.

The World Bank Group and GOGLA's report (titled Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2020) reveals that the off-grid solar industry has grown into a USD 1.75 billion annual market, providing lighting and other energy services to 420 million users and remains on a solid growth curve.

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