WeLight secures $31M IFC investment to expand solar mini‑grids in Nigeria and Congo

WeLight, Africa’s largest solar mini‑grid operator, announced that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has taken a stake in the company, providing €27 million ($31 million) of capital. The funding joins existing shareholders AXIAN, Sagemcom and Norfund and will accelerate WeLight’s expansion into Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to deploy over 1,000 mini‑grids and reach nearly 10 million people by 2030.

In Nigeria, the Federal Government commissioned a 505‑kilowatt solar mini‑grid in Epe, Lagos State, and pledged an additional 5‑megawatt project to serve more than 8,000 residents. Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe highlighted that over 1,000 mini‑grids are currently under development nationwide, supported by the World Bank‑backed DARES initiative and other development partners.

Earlier in the year, Nigerian cleantech startup Havenhill Synergy Limited raised $4.6 million to build 22 smart solar mini‑grids that could connect up to 70,000 rural citizens. These projects align with the African Development Bank and World Bank Mission 300 programme, which targets electricity access for 300 million Africans by 2030.