• Solar Panda acquires Zambia’s VITALITE, expanding reach across Southern Africa

• Company now serves over 450,000 households across Kenya, Senegal, and Zambia

• Off-grid solar gains ground as key solution for rural electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa

Canadian company Solar Panda has expanded its footprint in Africa by acquiring VITALITE Zambia Ltd., adding more than 100,000 new customers to its network. The announcement was made on Friday, June 6, marking a major step in the company’s efforts to scale off-grid solar solutions across the continent.

The acquisition boosts Solar Panda’s presence in Southern Africa and builds on its operations in Kenya—where it has already powered 350,000 households—and its recent market entry into Senegal on May 22.

“This acquisition represents a strategic leap forward for Solar Panda.,” said Andy Keith, the company’s founder and CEO. “By joining forces, we will build upon the foundation that VITALITE has created, introduce Solar Panda’s exceptional products, and rapidly grow operations to accelerate our shared mission to deliver clean, affordable energy to more Zambian households.”

Solar Panda’s model is part of a broader wave of decentralized energy solutions designed for areas beyond the reach of national power grids. In Sub-Saharan Africa, hundreds of millions still live without electricity—most in rural communities where grid extension is prohibitively expensive. Pay-as-you-go solar kits have emerged as a viable alternative.

Other players in the sector, such as Bboxx and ENGIE Energy Access, are following similar paths. These companies combine solar technology with digital payments, customer service, and financial inclusion to serve rural populations in countries including Rwanda, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the World Bank, around 570 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa remain without access to electricity. In that context, off-grid solar systems are viewed as scalable and sustainable tools for bridging the energy gap.