• Izili acquired off-grid solar firm Qotto, active in Benin and Burkina Faso.

• The group secured $5 million in convertible bonds to support growth.

• The deal strengthens Izili’s off-grid power presence in West Africa.

Izili Group announced yesterday it had acquired Qotto, a company specializing in off-grid solar solutions operating in Benin and Burkina Faso. The transaction expands Izili’s footprint to six African countries and strengthens its position in rural and off-grid electricity access.

Alongside the acquisition, Izili signed a financing agreement with the Off-Grid Energy Access Fund. The funding amounts to $5 million and takes the form of convertible bonds. Izili said the financing will support its growth strategy and reinforce its financial structure. The group expects the support to help distribute more than 170,000 solar solutions and over 120,000 digital products by 2028.

“Qotto’s acquisition represents a significant moment in Izili’s evolution—not just for our West African expansion, but primarily for the people this brings together,” said Kolawole Osinowo, chief executive officer of Izili Group. He said the deal supports the group’s expansion in West Africa and reflects a shared commitment to impact and to clean energy as a driver of social change.

The transaction follows a broader transformation of the group. In September 2025, Baobab+ officially adopted the name Izili after BioLite acquired a majority stake in April 2025. At that time, the group reaffirmed its positioning as a last-mile distributor of solar and digital solutions. It also strengthened operations in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, and Nigeria.

With the integration of Qotto and the new financing, Izili is reinforcing its operational platform in West Africa. The group is expanding at a time when off-grid solutions remain a key tool for improving electricity access in many rural areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Abdoullah Diop