Born from a simple idea, Sun King has become one of Africa’s most influential clean-energy companies. What began in 2007 as a modest project to provide safe, affordable light to off-grid villages has evolved into a multinational enterprise transforming how millions of Africans access electricity.
From light to life
Founded by T. Patrick Walsh and Anish Thakkar, Sun King—originally named Greenlight Planet—set out to replace kerosene lamps with solar alternatives in rural Kenya and Uganda. Their earliest products were basic portable lamps sold through local vendors. As demand surged, the founders realised that the barrier was not interest but affordability. The solution was to introduce a pay-as-you-go model, allowing families to purchase solar kits through small instalments using mobile money.
Scaling up across the continent
That financial innovation changed everything. By removing the upfront cost, Sun King expanded rapidly, building a network that now serves over 100 million users in more than 40 countries across Africa and Asia. In 2022, it secured US $260 million in Series D funding—one of the largest solar investments in Africa—to scale its home-system offerings. The company employs thousands of staff and agents, making it both a renewable-energy leader and a job creator.
Impact and innovation
Sun King’s systems now power homes, schools, and small businesses, replacing diesel generators and candles with clean energy. The company’s integrated battery-and-panel kits allow users to light homes, charge phones, and even run televisions. Each installation reduces emissions and improves household health by removing harmful indoor smoke from kerosene. Its model has become a benchmark for off-grid solar finance worldwide.
A blueprint for African enterprise
Sun King’s journey captures the new African growth story: start small, solve a real local problem, and scale through innovation and inclusion. Its rise shows how sustainable businesses can thrive where traditional infrastructure has failed, blending impact with profit. The company now stands as a symbol of how the continent’s brightest entrepreneurs are reshaping access to essential services through technology and ingenuity.
The road ahead
Sun King aims to connect 250 million more people to clean energy within the next decade. With governments, banks, and climate-finance institutions now prioritising renewables, the company’s influence is set to expand even further. Its story proves that small beginnings, when guided by vision and persistence, can illuminate entire nations.
Newshub Editorial in Africa – October 29 2025
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