In 2023, the off-grid solar sector had impacted 561 million people globally, with 253 million gaining basic electricity access and 132 million benefitting from higher levels, according to Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2024, jointly prepared by the World Bank Group, the Energy_ Sector Management Assistance Program, and GOGLA.
In Sub- Saharan Africa, off-grid solar accounted for 55% of all new electricity connections between 2020 and 2022, underlining its critical role in narrowing the electrification gap.
The report identifies a key trend in diversifying business models within the off-grid solar sector. Companies that have shifted their focus to higher- value products for middle- and high- income consumers or adopted innovative financing models – such as pay-as -you-go (PAYG)- -have demonstrated stronger commercial performance.
PAYG has become a popular method for delivering off-grid solar products to lower-income households, allowing consumers to pay for solar products in small installments, often via mobile money. By 2023, 39% of all off- grid solar products were sold through PAYG financing, up from 24% in 2018. Larger solar home systems saw 96% of their sales via PAYG.
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