By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Kenyan government has selected d.light for the latest round of the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) to expand the uptake of off-grid solar home systems and clean cookstoves in underserved rural counties in the country.
The scheme was set up by the Kenyan government in 2018 and funded by the World Bank with about $150 million to close the energy access gap in the East African nation by providing electricity and clean cooking solutions to remote and traditionally underserved areas of the country not covered by the national energy grid.
KOSAP, which is part of the Kenya Vision 2030, the long-term development blueprint for the country first launched in 2008 by former President Mwai Kibaki, intends to tap from the expertise of the global provider of transformational household products and affordable finance for low-income households.
Through this initiative, d.light will provide solar power and clean cooking solutions to over 150,000 people who currently lack access to electricity and clean cooking. To address affordability, d.light’s solar products will be sold on an instalment plan via d.light’s PayGo service.
The program covers 14 counties in total – 13 counties in the north, east and south-east of the country, including West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta: plus the southwestern county of Narok.
“Kenya has achieved sustained economic growth and social development in the last decade or so, and its economy is the largest and most developed in eastern and central Africa.
“However, many of its citizens still live without access to electricity, especially in rural areas outside the major towns and cities.
“These areas are also vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including droughts and desertification,” the Managing Director of d.light in Kenya, Karanja Njoroge, said.
“Kenya was one of the first African countries in which d.light launched operations back in 2008, and our headquarters for Africa is in Nairobi. With our combination of tried-and-tested, market-leading products, established distribution channels, and our secure PayGo payment system,” Njoroge added.