First PAYGO Platform in Afghanistan

Lighting Afghanistan, an energy initiative of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), introduced the first Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) platform for solar home systems in Afghanistan. Read More

Our Impact

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WHO WE ARE

Lighting Global is the World Bank Group’s platform to support sustainable growth of the international off-grid solar market as a means of rapidly increasing energy access to the 1 billion people without grid electricity.

WHAT WE DO

The Lighting Global program supports market development by working with private companies to lower first-mover risk and mobilize private sector investment through market intelligence, quality assurance, business support services and consumer education.

Data as of June 2018. 'Basic electricity needs’ are defined according to the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) as providing light for at least 1,000 lumen-hours (lmhr) / day and sufficient energy to keep a well-used mobile phone operational.
Cumulative Sales of Products Meeting Lighting Global Quality Standards (in millions) - nearly 35 million as of 2018
Data based on semi-annual IFC client company self-reported sales data.

Regional Programs

Boys using a solar lantern in their school classroom.

Lighting Global program and its regional affiliate programs – Lighting Africa, Lighting Asia and Lighting Pacific – all work to build sustainable markets capable of bringing high quality, affordable, modern off-grid lighting and energy products to off-grid consumers.