Lighting Africa/Tanzania Launches New Campaign to Promote Solar Lighting and Energy

Last week, Lighting Africa announced the launch of a two-year consumer education campaign in Tanzania to promote solar off-grid lighting and energy products in rural communities not connected to the grid.

Solar energy and lighting products are seeing increasing demand in Tanzania, a country where most rural households depend on low quality solar lanterns and other electric products for lighting. Prone to early breakage, the low quality products have caused consumers to lose money, and lowered their confidence in the validity of solar products.

The campaign, titled ‘Ngaa na Sola – Ndo Mpango Mzima,” (shine with solar, it is the complete deal), aims to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of modern, high quality off-grid lighting and energy products, helping communities make informed purchasing decisions. It will feature a range of warrantied products that meet Lighting Global Quality Standards. The campaign will also communicate innovative business models in solar energy such as Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) service, a mobile-money platform that lets consumers pay in small installments, making the products affordable to various income groups.

“This campaign announced by IFC today has come at an opportune time in the quest of accelerating the uptake of the highest quality off grid solar lighting products and services at the least possible cost. This campaign will help to demonstrate that renewable energy, especially solar, is both affordable and good for the economy. We are also happy to note that this campaign will advocate product quality – something which will be useful in restoring consumers’ confidence,” said Prof. James E. Mdoe, Ag, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Energy and Minerals, while officiating the launch.

This consumer education campaign will reach consumers through a range of marketing and public awareness activities including mass media, road shows and door-to-door campaigns, tailored to the needs of low income households across the country. It is part of the Lighting Africa/Tanzania program that was rolled out in September 2016 to mobilize the private sector to develop a commercial market for high-quality solar products in Tanzania, and to enable access to cleaner and modern off-grid lighting and energy solutions in the country.