ENGIE Africa acquires Mobisol

In line with initiatives to expand decentralized off-grid energy solutions in Africa, ENGIE Africa has acquired Mobisol, a pioneer of off-grid solar solutions.

Founded in 2011, Mobisol employs over 500 people and approximately 1,200 contractors.

Mobisol provides off-grid energy products in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya. It has so far installed more than 150,000 solar home systems, providing clean and reliable energy to over 750,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With the acquisition of Mobisol, ENGIE will be offering solar home systems in 3 additional countries, complementing the six countries where it is already present with its solar home system company Fenix International.

Mobisol’s focus on productive use of products combined with Fenix’s inclusive home solar power systems will enable ENGIE to offer an unparalleled range of affordable energy products as well as extending its customer base from rural to urban areas.

The closing of the acquisition of Mobisol will happen once all approvals of the relevant regulatory bodies are received.

Commenting on the acquisition, Yoven Moorooven, ENGIE Africa CEO said that the company has technology, experience and business models to dramatically accelerate energy access whereby the acquisition of Mobisol is a step further towards maintaining the lead.

“Off-grid renewable energy solutions represent an electrification solution that is rapidly scalable, can be tailored to local conditions and has the potential to empower millions of people in communities across Africa. With the acquisition of Mobisol, we are now positioned as the leading off-grid energy services company within the African continent,” he affirmed.

ENGIE already has significant activities in off-grid electrification in Africa.

With its subsidiary Fenix International, it provides access to energy and financial services via its solar home systems to over 500,000 customers, improving the quality of life for over 2.5 million people in Uganda, Zambia, Nigeria, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Mozambique.

Additionally, with ENGIE PowerCorner, it supplies affordable electricity to rural populations through smart mini-grids powered by solar energy and battery storage.

PowerCorner offers 24/7 energy services to households, local businesses and public services in villages across Tanzania and Zambia. All of these services are enabled by digital financial solutions such as mobile money and Pay As You Go technologies.

Universal electrification is the 7th of the Sustainable Development Goals that the global community has committed to achieve by 2030.

Currently more than 600 million people have no access to electricity in Africa and by 2030 the continent is expected to be home to 80 percent of the world’s off-grid population, according to the International Energy Agency, a gap that ENGIE PowerCorner will contribute to bridging.

About Mobisol

Founded in 2011, Mobisol is pioneer in the off-grid solar sector and provides low-income African households and small businesses with high-quality solar home systems that are a clean, safe and affordable alternative to fossil fuels.

Mobisol systems are designed specifically for the African market and are able to power lighting, radios, stereo, mobile phone chargers,  TV’s, and, depending on system size, other appliances such as irons, refrigerators and other productive use equipment. To date, Mobisol has installed over 150,000 solar home systems.

About ENGIE Africa

For over 50 years, ENGIE has been active in many African countries through its energy engineering business and more recently as an independent power producer in South Africa and Morocco with a total capacity of 3,000 MW either in operation or under construction.

By 2025, ENGIE wants to be a reference partner in several African countries for power plants, energy services to businesses and decentralized solutions for off-grid customers – communities, companies and households.

ENGIE already has more than 2.5 million customers with domestic solar installations and local micro grids, and aims to become one of the viable leaders on the continent’s off-grid service market.