Lighting & Development

Linking Lighting & Development

Africa at Night: A continent cast in Darkness 

     Why Lighting Africa? Why Now?

• Currently, 1.7 billion people worldwide are without electricity. The problem is most acute in Sub-Saharan Africa where over  500 million people presently lack modern energy, with rural electricity access rates as low as 2%.

• "Viewed from space, as the above image depicts, Africa at night is unlit—as dark as all-but empty Siberia. With nearly 1 billion people, Africa accounts for over a sixth of the world's population, but generates only 4% of global electricity. Three-quarters of that is used by South Africa, Egypt and the other countries along the north African littoral." - The Economist 

• Among the poorest of the poor, lighting is often the most expensive item among their energy uses, typically accounting for 10-15% of total household income. Yet, while consuming a large share of scarce income, fuel based lighting provides little in return.

• New advancements in lighting technology, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs), promise clean, portable, durable, lower cost, and higher quality lighting.

• The challenge is to make these products accessible to the half billion "lighting poor" in Africa. With expenditures on fuel based lighting estimated at US$38 billion annually, the potential exists to convene the international lighting industry to engage in this new market area.

How will the Lighting Africa program help alleviate poverty?

Evidence demonstrates numerous linkages between human development and increased quality of life and access to energy services.

For example, a positive correlation has been found between increased access to energy and rises in annual household income-level such that modest increases in electricity or lighting services are associated with much larger improvements in human development.   Because per capita income levels are unequivocally linked to access to energy services such as lighting, expanding access to modern lighting is directly related to the eradication of endemic poverty.

Moreover, two of the greatest perceived residential benefits of illumination- lighting for education and extension of productive time- are correlated with increased gender equality and opportunities for women and children.

Apart from households, evidence suggests that access to modern, clean and affordable lighting is one of the key development challenges for millions of entrepreneurs and businesses who have difficulty operating after dark.

What are the expected outcomes of the program?

Lighting Africa is based on the premise that Africa cannot wait for electrification rates to rise to the level of other world regions to access modern lighting; the people of Africa need and want lighting solutions now. Lighting Africa is designed to provide an immediate solution by supporting the private sector to grow the market for off-grid lighting technologies in Sub-Saharn Africa, only recently made possible as a result of emergent innovation and investment interest in this new market area.

The provision of modern off-grid lighting services are correlated with the following benefits:

Social/Economic Benefits:

• Extend the working day for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), thus expanding production, enriching income opportunities, improving working conditions, and increasing customers;
• Extend productive time in the home, providing opportunities for income generating activities such as the development of informal cottage industries;
• Enhance safety and security via outdoor lighting for personal, business, and community activities;
• Create conditions to attract teachers, retain students, expand time for student reading and studying, and improve grades and school retention rates;
• Provide opportunities for adult literacy and higher education programs;
• Increase gender equality for women; 
• Improve health services delivery and thus reduce productivity loss due to illnesses.
• Increase the quality of life

Environmental Benefits:

• Reduce potent Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the burning of kerosene and other fuel-based lighting sources that give rise to climate change
• Improve indoor air quality and minimize incidences of burn victims and respiratory ailments associated with smoke inhalation, especially for those most affected- women and children
• Initiate the transitiion towards a more sustainable energy economy and energy future in Africa