kwabena_boateng

Ghanaian engineer who pioneered solar energy solutions for West Africa's off-grid communities

Kwabena Boateng (born 1978) transformed energy access in rural Ghana through his 2003 founding of Sunlight Ghana, a social enterprise providing affordable solar solutions to off-grid households. His solar-powered microgrids now serve over 500,000 people in 12 regions, reducing reliance on kerosene and diesel generators. Boateng's pay-as-you-go model, inspired by mobile phone credit systems, made solar energy accessible to families earning less than $2/day.

Boateng's innovation came from his childhood experiences in a village without electricity. After studying renewable energy in Germany, he returned to Ghana to develop locally produced solar panels using recycled materials. His company's Sunlight Foundation trains youth in solar engineering, creating over 1,500 green jobs by 2022. This approach earned Sunlight Ghana a 2017 Ashden Award and a partnership with the African Development Bank.

In 2019, Boateng launched the Solar School Initiative, providing free energy to 200 rural schools. His work has reduced carbon emissions by an estimated 800,000 tons annually and inspired similar programs in Nigeria and Mali. Boateng's story was featured in Forbes Africa and the BBC documentary "Lighting Africa's Future". His vision of decentralized energy systems continues to redefine sustainable development across the continent.