• East Africa accounted for 71% of global off-grid solar kit sales in 2024

• West and Central Africa saw steep declines due to inflation and currency issues

• Nigeria’s off-grid solar market fell 37% despite leading West Africa in volume

East Africa led the world in off-grid solar kit sales last year, capturing around 71% of total global demand, according to a report published on May 26, 2025, by the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA).

The report, titled Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report 2024: Annual Sales & Impact Data, shows that 6,600,000 off-grid solar kits were sold across East Africa in 2024. These devices convert sunlight into electricity without needing to connect to a central grid. This marked a record for the region and represented a 37% increase from the previous year.

Sales made through direct cash purchases jumped by 48% compared to 2023, while those through the Pay-As-You-Go model, where customers either pay in installments or pay for the energy they use from a service provider, increased by 24%. Sales of household solar systems rose by 38%, while multi-light systems and solar lamps grew by 45% and 33%, respectively.

In contrast, West Africa experienced a sharp downturn. Sales of off-grid solar kits in the region dropped by 33% in 2024, falling to 1,140,000 units. Cash sales fell by 31%, and Pay-As-You-Go transactions declined by 35%.

All product types saw reduced demand in the region. Solar lamps were down by 43%, household systems fell by 30%, multi-light systems dropped by 25%, and solar-powered televisions declined by 56%.

This overall slowdown in West Africa was mainly driven by high inflation and weakened local currencies, which made solar products harder to afford, especially for low-income households. These challenges also hurt the financial health of companies operating Pay-As-You-Go services, as many customers could no longer keep up with payments. The impact was most visible in Nigeria, which alone accounted for 74% of West Africa’s total sales. The country recorded 847,160 units sold in 2024, a 37% drop compared to the year before.

In Central Africa, sales also declined. A total of 284,100 off-grid solar kits were sold in 2024, marking a 12% decrease from the previous year. Poor performance in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon played a major role in that drop.

Globally, 9,300,000 off-grid solar kits were sold in 2024, reflecting a 4% increase compared to 2023.