Mothers and entrepreneurs in Liberia light up shops and homes with clean, off-grid energy access
In Liberia, entrepreneurs are creating brighter futures for their businesses with the support of initiatives like Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA), which is expanding access to clean energy across off-grid communities. Here are the stories of two businesswomen whose lives have been transformed.
Electrification remains elusive to many areas in Liberia. Despite progress in recent years, electrification remains below the regional average, particularly in rural areas where only about 7.6% of the population has electricity. Many communities are too far from Monrovia’s main energy infrastructure to enjoy a reliable supply.
Green energy initiatives like BGFA are working to bridge that energy gap by decentralising power generation. Managed by the Nordic Green Bank (Nefco) and supported by NIRAS and REEEP, the multi-donor BGFA programme is bringing affordable, renewable energy within reach for people in Liberia and other African nations.
BGFA’s impact is already being felt in Liberian towns like Gbahn and Totoquelleh, where local female entrepreneurs – both mothers and shopkeepers – are using solar power to extend their business hours, raise incomes, and create bright spaces in their homes.
Keeping the lights on and business open after sunset
As dusk falls over Gbahn, Kuku Kialien's mixed goods shop now glows with solar-powered light. In the past, darkness meant closing time, but since subscribing to a solar home kit from the BGFA-supported company Easy Solar, Kuku has since been able to keep operating at night and attract more customers.
“My income has quadrupled. With my solar kit, I rely on longer operating hours to continue my business activities and make more profits after sunset,” Kuku said.
The benefits reach beyond her business. A mother of three, Kuku says her children can study more easily and “dream big” thanks to consistent lighting at home. Kuku’s journey began with a subscription to Easy Solar in 2022. As her business grew, she expanded her inventory and improved her livelihood.
Energy service providers (ESPs) are integral to the BGFA programme, and they are paid based on verified results. Under BGFA’s results-based financing, companies like Easy Solar receive funding only after securing energy service subscriptions. This model enables them to reach remote customers with a pay-as-you-go offer, reducing upfront costs and making clean energy much more accessible.
“As a last mile distributor operating one of the largest off-grid retail networks in West Africa, we are proud to partner with BGFA. With their support, we will be able to scale up our activities and deepen our penetration in Liberia, providing access to clean energy and other life-improving goods to thousands living in off-grid communities,” said Easy Solar CEO and co-founder Alexandre Tourre.
In Liberia, BGFA contracted four ESPs, committing €5.5 million with a goal of empowering more than 95,000 new connections in the years to come. Kuku’s story is just one of many powered by Easy Solar, proof of how innovative financing can light up lives and livelihoods.
Before BGFA, Gbahn communities relied on candles, firewood, battery-powered flashlights for light. Today, customers prefer Kuku’s well-lit shop, which feels safer and more welcoming — especially for women shopping after dark.
Serving cool drinks under bright nights
Some one hundred miles west of Gbahn, in Totoquelleh, another mother and entrepreneur, Lolia Gebissay, sells drinks and other consumables. Before Energicity (operating as Starlight Energy), her drinks were warm, her shop dark, and her evenings quiet.
But when she signed up for a package to receive two lights and a leased freezer, everything changed. “I never thought my shop could grow this much. Electricity has helped me double my customers and provide for my family in ways I couldn’t before,” Lolia said.
Since then, customers have gone from less than 30 to 60 and daily sales grown to as much as LRD 80,000 (over €376).
Like Kuku, Lolia’s children also had limited study time, owing to the lack of light at home. But with Energicity’s package, they can freely read and learn in the evenings. Even Lolia and her husband — who himself runs a business in the capital of Monrovia — feel safer now that they easily see whether scorpions and snakes are around their house at night!
“Commissioning our first two mini-grids in Liberia in partnership with BGFA and the Liberian government marks a significant milestone in our mission to bring clean, reliable and affordable energy to off-grid communities,” said Energicity CEO and founder Nicole Poindexter. “The BGFA project demonstrates the power of innovative financing, technology and community-led development in bridging the energy gap and contributing to reducing energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Scaling solar-powered futures
The experiences of Kuku and Lolia reflect a broader transformation. Each new connection brings cleaner, more reliable energy to homes and businesses, unlocking opportunities for improved safety, learning, and economic growth.
BGFA’s model shows that green initiatives do deliver economic gains, while empowering communities to experience brighter, better days. With every light switched on, Liberia and other BGFA beneficiaries move one step closer to an inclusive energy transition where no one is left in the dark.
