Africa's largest solar mini-grid developer, WeLight, has unveiled an ambitious $650 million investment plan to expand access to clean and reliable electricity across the continent, with Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) emerging as its primary growth markets.
The announcement comes just weeks after the company revealed it had secured $31 million in funding to support its entry into the Nigerian market, underscoring its commitment to addressing Africa's persistent electricity access challenges through renewable energy.
According to WeLight, the new investment will significantly scale its operations, with the goal of increasing its customer base from more than 800,000 people today to approximately eight million people over the coming years.
The company currently operates nearly 190 solar mini-grids across Madagascar and Mali, supplying electricity to homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and businesses in communities that are not connected to national power grids.
Rather than waiting for traditional electricity infrastructure to reach underserved areas, WeLight develops solar-powered mini-grids—independent energy systems that generate, store, and distribute electricity directly to local communities. These systems provide a cleaner and more affordable alternative to diesel generators, which remain the primary source of backup power in many parts of Africa.
Nigeria represents one of WeLight's biggest opportunities. Despite being Africa's largest economy, an estimated 80 to 90 million Nigerians still lack reliable access to electricity. Frequent power outages continue to affect households, businesses, and industries, forcing many to rely on expensive fuel-powered generators that increase operating costs and environmental pollution.
The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a similar challenge. Although the country possesses abundant natural resources, it continues to record one of the world's lowest electricity access rates, particularly in rural communities where national grid coverage remains limited.
WeLight believes expanding its mini-grid network across both countries could significantly improve energy access, stimulate economic activities, create jobs, and support small businesses that depend on reliable electricity to operate efficiently.
However, the company acknowledged that delivering the expansion will require more than financial investment. Building hundreds of mini-grids across remote communities involves complex logistics, strong local partnerships, technical expertise, regulatory approvals, and long-term operational support.
Industry experts say the investment reflects growing confidence in Africa's renewable energy sector, where decentralized power solutions are increasingly viewed as one of the fastest and most practical ways to close the continent's electricity access gap.
If successfully implemented, WeLight's expansion could become one of the largest private-sector renewable energy initiatives in Africa, helping millions of people gain access to reliable electricity while accelerating the continent's transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.