Bridgette Avia

Pioneer of solar energy access in Africa through innovative financing models

Bridgette Avia is a Gambian entrepreneur and social innovator best known for co-founding SolarNow, a company that provides affordable solar energy solutions to off-grid households in sub-Saharan Africa. Since its launch in 2016, SolarNow has enabled over 250,000 people in Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria to access clean energy through pay-as-you-go financing models. Avia's work addresses the continent's energy poverty challenges while fostering economic empowerment through her company's agent network that employs local distributors.

Her TED Talk highlights how decentralized renewable energy systems can leapfrog traditional grid infrastructure. In 2021, she was named one of Africa's 100 Most Influential People by New African Magazine and received the African Energy Awards' Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Avia's approach combines technological innovation with inclusive business models, creating a replicable blueprint for sustainable development in energy-starved regions. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) and continues expanding SolarNow's operations across West Africa through partnerships with organizations like the World Bank's Lighting Global initiative.