Renewvia Targets $750m Solar Expansion Across Four African Countries

Renewvia Energy Corp. is planning a $750 million expansion of its African operations, targeting off-grid solar projects in Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Renewvia Africa’s CEO, Trey Jarrard, announced in an interview with Bloomberg that the company will expand its operations to target 2.1 million new connections in four countries.

This expansion goes beyond their current work in Kenya and Nigeria, where they have been setting up solar-powered mini-grids for communities without access to the main electricity grid.The company said the initiative is aimed at improving electricity access through solar-powered mini-grids, particularly in rural communities far from national transmission networks.

Mini-grids combine solar generation with battery storage systems to create localised electricity networks capable of supplying homes, schools, clinics and small businesses without relying on national grids.

Renewvia said the systems are particularly suited to remote areas where extending conventional electricity infrastructure remains expensive and difficult.

According to the company, surveys carried out among households and business owners connected to its mini-grids in Kenya and Nigeria showed significant increases in household income and improvements in access to water and economic opportunities.

The expansion strategy focuses heavily on countries with substantial hydropower generation but limited rural electricity coverage, including Ethiopia, Uganda and the DRC.

Funding remains one of the main challenges facing the project. Renewvia recently secured $10 million from Claritas Capital for operations in Kenya and Nigeria, but the planned four-country expansion requires significantly larger financing commitments.

Interest in Africa’s mini-grid sector has grown in recent years as governments and investors increasingly view off-grid solar systems as a practical solution to persistent electricity shortages.

Industry data show Nigeria alone has attracted more than $900 million in solar investments since 2018, alongside additional multinational funding commitments aimed at supporting renewable energy deployment.