Starsight Energy Africa Group, a leading provider of renewable energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers across Sub-Saharan Africa, has secured $15 million in mezzanine funding from British International Investment (BII) to scale its operations and deliver reliable, sustainable power across the region. The funding marks a significant milestone in the development of private-sector-led energy solutions in West Africa, where grid instability and diesel dependence continue to hinder economic growth.
The majority of the investment will be deployed in Nigeria, Africa’s largest energy market, where up to 40 gigawatts of electricity are generated using diesel and petrol generators. For businesses reliant on self-generation, electricity costs are high and power reliability is a constant challenge, constraining productivity and limiting industrial competitiveness. Starsight’s expansion aims to replace a portion of this costly, polluting generation with solar-powered solutions paired with battery storage, providing consistent electricity while reducing carbon emissions.
“Partnering with BII marks a turning point for Starsight Energy Africa Group,” said Paul van Zijl, Group CEO of Starsight. “This capital strengthens our ability to grow faster in Nigeria and Ghana, delivering reliable, clean energy solutions that improve operational resilience for our clients and stimulate economic growth across West Africa.”
Starsight plans to use the funding to expand its existing solar portfolio, accelerate project pipelines, and maintain high-quality service to its commercial and industrial clients. This includes asset replacement and optimization of existing installations, ensuring the reliability and longevity of energy systems. The partnership with BII is not just a financial endorsement, it reflects confidence in Starsight’s long-term strategy to provide scalable, distributed renewable energy across markets with chronic power shortages.
From a development finance perspective, the investment aligns with BII’s mandate to support sustainable, inclusive growth in emerging markets. “Nigeria’s businesses need dependable and affordable power to grow,” said Benson Adenuga, West Africa Regional Director at BII. “By backing Starsight, we are supporting clean energy expansion while demonstrating confidence in the region’s potential to achieve sustainable industrial growth.”
The collaboration also highlights the broader opportunity for private sector-led solutions to fill gaps left by unstable national grids. In many West African countries, businesses rely heavily on diesel generators due to frequent blackouts and inadequate infrastructure.
By introducing renewable alternatives, companies like Starsight not only reduce costs and emissions but also unlock operational continuity, a critical factor for manufacturers, SMEs, and data-intensive industries.
Starsight’s approach goes beyond supplying electricity. By integrating solar energy with storage and providing end-to-end operational support, the company ensures that distributed energy systems become a reliable backbone for regional economic activity.
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“With BII’s support, we’re set to pursue the next chapter of our growth journey,” said Michael Chuchu, Group Commercial Director at Starsight. “Our clients can operate confidently, knowing that energy disruptions will no longer constrain their productivity.”
The investment also demonstrates growing international interest in West Africa’s clean energy markets. British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, emphasized that the initiative reflects a commitment to a greener, more sustainable future for both the UK and Nigeria, providing businesses with affordable, low-carbon alternatives to traditional energy sources.
As renewable energy adoption accelerates in West Africa, partnerships like Starsight-BII are critical in bridging the gap between policy ambition and operational impact. For the region’s commercial and industrial sectors, reliable solar energy is no longer just a sustainability measure, it is an economic necessity, a tool to reduce dependency on expensive diesel generation, and a pathway toward broader industrial competitiveness.
With this funding round, Starsight positions itself as a key driver of West Africa’s energy transition, supporting both environmental objectives and economic growth while helping to transform the way businesses access and use power across the continent.
By Thuita Gatero, Managing Editor, Africa Digest News. He specializes in conversations around data centers, AI, cloud infrastructure, and energy.
