A Brief Analysis of African Solar Lighting Market

Africa has 15% of the world's population, but about 90% of the rural population has no electricity supply. It’s still quite common to see many small streets in most countries are still fallen in darkness at night. Therefore, the lighting industry in most African countries is still underdeveloped and the present level is very low. To conclude, there is a considerable market gap in African solar lighting market.

In recent years, many African governments have been committed to developing sustainable lighting solutions as effective solutions to their lack of power generation, such as the United Nations-led Lighting Africa Charity and Development Program. This new program is meant to provide energy-saving LED lighting to local residents. With the rapid development of modern cities in Africa, the diversified LED lighting market including shopping malls, stations, streets and other places has continuously increased the demand for LED lighting, particularly solar lighting, year by year.

Now let us take Kenya's solar lighting market as an example, and briefly analyze the huge potential of the solar lighting industry in Africa. As an important trade transit center in Africa, Kenya's economy is developing rapidly. At the same time, its government has set up a goal that by 2025, electricity will cover 70% of the population, which will further promote the construction of infrastructure, economic zones, industrial parks, commercial and residential buildings and tourist resorts in Kenya, making the domestic demand for building materials, lamps and lighting continue to increase. It is expected that Kenya will become one of the global important markets with huge potential for basic lighting and municipal lighting in future.

Plus, as LED lights, batteries, and solar panels become more affordable, coupled with innovative business plans, millions of households in Africa and elsewhere will be able to replace kerosene and incandescent lamps for Instead to use more technologically advanced lighting fixtures, especially solar lights.

Because of our emphasis on the African solar lighting market, Mistei Lighting conducted a business trip to Uganda in early January 2023. The analysis of the business inspection in this tirp indicates that seven types of lights are in great demand in Uganda, including

1. Off-grid solar lighting products;

2. Indoor small portable lamp;

3. 1W-5W solar LED bulbs;

4. Emergency lights;

5. Outdoor commercial LED lighting system;

6. Primary household lighting (non-solar);

7. LED garden lights, LED street lights and commercial lighting.

Solar lights have covered more than 3 types in the list above. In other words, at least 3 general types of solar lights are needed in Africa, including off-grid solar lights, 1W-5W solar LED bulbs, outdoor commercial LED lighting system, and outdoor LED lights, such as garden lights, street lights and commercial lights.

In addition, our business trip in Uganda also told us that the local market price - lamps and lighting sold in Uganda, Kenya and other countries nearby are 1.5 times that of China. For example, an 18W energy-saving light bulb is priced at 22 yuan (RMB) in Kenya, but 10 yuan (RMB) in China, which is significantly higher than the Chinese market.

At present, many African governments have carried out road lighting projects, and strongly recommend the use of solar LED street lights. For example: Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya, carried out a road lighting replacement project. The old part of this city will replace 500 high-pressure sodium street lamps with LED lighting, and upgrade 5 kilometers of lighting cables. The total cost is 45 million shillings, equivalent to 3,051,000 yuan (RMB). The total cost of the lighting replacement project in other parts of this city is 1.2 billion shillings, equivalent to 81,360,000 yuan (RMB).

Mistei Lighting believes that the solar lighting market in Africa as well as the Middle East will usher in rapid development in the next 10 years, which is an inevitable historical trend and a wise choice for local people. We hope that we can use our products to contribute to the economic development of these areas and bring local people warmth, friendship and a better life.