WiSolar

WiSolar is a transnational solar electricity company operating in South Africa and Nigeria. Founded in 2016 by Nigerian-born entrepreneur Tonye Irims, the company was created with the stated objective of making solar electricity more accessible and affordable across Africa. Its activities combine solar-equipment supply, installation, electricity services, customer financing, and digital prepaid-energy purchasing. WiSolar initially operated as an inverter original equipment manufacturer and solar installer. Its early inverter proposition included a proprietary remote shut-off capability, a feature relevant to prepaid or managed-energy models because it could support service control when payments were not current. In 2019, the company shifted its emphasis from equipment manufacturing and installation toward becoming a solar electricity provider serving residential and commercial users with variable electricity loads. The company’s model has been shaped by energy-access conditions in its two principal markets. In South Africa, WiSolar has pursued solar adoption through awareness programs, financing, residential-estate deployments, and a dedicated office in Bronkhorstspruit. In Nigeria, its stated expansion plans focused on reducing reliance on polluting fuel generators and extending prepaid solar electricity into several major states, including Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers. These plans positioned WiSolar not only as an installer but also as an energy-service provider. WiSolar launched the Solar Scholar initiative in South Africa in 2017 to explain renewable-energy benefits to students and educational staff. The program combined visits to educational institutions with an online platform for registering participants and collecting ideas related to solar energy. The initiative reflected the company’s effort to build public understanding alongside commercial deployment. In 2019, WiSolar announced a proposed $40 million debt-and-equity fundraising program to accelerate prepaid solar-electricity rollout in South Africa and Nigeria. The proposal was intended to support expansion and help replace fuel-generator use with renewable electricity. The available reference does not establish that the full amount was raised, so the proposal should not be treated as completed financing. The company also developed internal technical capacity. In November 2019, it announced plans to upskill electrical-engineering graduates through its solar academy. In March 2020, WiSolar announced a partnership with LG under which LG would supply high-efficiency black photovoltaic panels for WiSolar and its customers. WiSolar subsequently established the Gateway Office in Bronkhorstspruit and began offering solar-financing solutions in June 2020, seeking to lower the upfront barrier to adoption. In 2022, WiSolar introduced the WiGo mobile application, enabling users to purchase prepaid solar electricity independently. The same period saw the deployment of prepaid solar-electricity systems to homes in residential estates in South Africa and Nigeria after earlier delays. This combination of hardware, financing, managed electricity, and digital payment is central to WiSolar’s brand proposition. The company has been described in the supplied reference material as receiving recognition in 2025 through inclusion in the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies and Bloomberg’s list of 25 African Startups to Watch. The available material does not provide ranking details or independently verify the criteria behind those listings. WiSolar’s current scale, financial performance, ownership structure, and executive roster beyond its founder are not established in the supplied sources.

WiSolar was established in 2016 by Tonye Irims as an African solar-energy venture with activities spanning equipment, installation, and electricity services. The company began as an inverter original equipment manufacturer and solar installer. Its early inverter technology reportedly incorporated a proprietary remote shut-off function, supporting a controlled-service model that later aligned with prepaid electricity operations. In March 2017, WiSolar broadened its public-facing work through Solar Scholar, an educational campaign in South Africa. The initiative visited educational institutions to explain renewable energy and the potential benefits of solar power in homes. WiSolar also developed an online registration and idea-submission platform for participating schools and students. The campaign gave the company an awareness-building role in addition to its commercial activities. A significant strategic change came in 2019, when WiSolar transitioned toward operating as a solar electricity provider for residential and commercial customers. Its services were designed for variable loads rather than being limited to the sale or installation of individual pieces of equipment. In July of that year, the company proposed raising $40 million through debt and equity to accelerate prepaid solar-electricity deployment in South Africa and Nigeria. The stated rationale was to expand renewable electricity access and reduce reliance on environmentally polluting fuel generators, particularly in Nigeria. The proposal identified a number of target locations, including Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers. The available source does not confirm the completion or terms of this proposed financing. WiSolar also sought to develop the skills needed to support expansion. In November 2019, it announced plans to upskill electrical-engineering graduates associated with its solar academy. This was intended to strengthen internal capabilities in solar-electricity delivery and installation. In March 2020, the company announced a partnership with LG involving high-efficiency black photovoltaic panels. Under the arrangement described in the reference material, LG would supply panels for WiSolar and its customers. To support adoption in South Africa, WiSolar established the Gateway Office in Bronkhorstspruit, where the company is headquartered. In June 2020, it began offering solar-financing solutions, addressing the substantial upfront cost that can limit household and business investment in solar systems. Financing became part of a broader model that linked equipment, installation, electricity supply, and customer payment options. In 2022, WiSolar launched WiGo, a mobile application that enables users to buy prepaid solar electricity for their homes. The application represented a digital layer for the company’s prepaid model, allowing customers to purchase energy without relying solely on manual or installer-mediated transactions. During the same year, WiSolar began deploying prepaid solar electricity to homes in residential estates in South Africa and Nigeria after a period of delays. This deployment extended the company’s focus from project planning into residential service delivery. WiSolar’s stated geographic footprint covers South Africa and Nigeria. Its operating concept addresses two related market needs: improving access to electricity and providing alternatives to conventional generator use. The company’s approach combines solar generation and equipment with financing and prepaid purchasing, seeking to make renewable power more manageable for customers with variable demand or limited ability to pay large upfront installation costs. The supplied reference further states that WiSolar was included in two 2025 recognition lists: the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies and Bloomberg’s 25 African Startups to Watch. No detailed ranking, methodology, or performance figures are provided in the available material. Beyond founder Tonye Irims, the company’s current executives, ownership, legal structure, financial performance, and present operational scale remain unconfirmed.

• 2022

  WiGo application launches

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar launched WiGo, a mobile application for purchasing prepaid solar electricity.

• 2022

  Residential-estate deployments begin

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar commenced deployment of prepaid solar electricity to homes in residential estates in South Africa and Nigeria.

• 2020

  LG photovoltaic-panel partnership

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar announced an arrangement with LG involving high-efficiency black photovoltaic panels for its projects and customers.

• 2020

  Solar financing begins

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar began offering financing solutions through its Gateway Office in Bronkhorstspruit to support broader solar adoption.

• 2019

  Transition to solar electricity provision

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar shifted from its initial inverter-OEM and installer model toward providing solar electricity to residential and commercial customers.

• 2019

  Prepaid solar expansion proposal

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  The company proposed a $40 million debt-and-equity program to accelerate prepaid solar-electricity deployment in South Africa and Nigeria.

• 2017

  Solar Scholar campaign begins

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  WiSolar launched an educational initiative in South Africa to promote awareness of renewable energy among students and educational staff.

• 2016

  WiSolar is founded

  [1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Tonye Irims founded WiSolar as a solar-equipment and electricity venture serving African markets.

An African solar-energy and electricity-services provider focused on accessible, prepaid, financed, and digitally managed renewable power for households and businesses.

• Solar power equipment · 2016

  Inverter systems

  WiSolar began as an inverter original equipment manufacturer and solar installer. Its early inverter offering was described as having a proprietary remote shut-off feature, a capability associated with controlled or prepaid energy-service models. The available reference does not identify specific inverter models, technical ratings, or current availability.

• Solar energy service · 2019

  Residential solar electricity

  WiSolar provides solar electricity solutions for residential customers in South Africa and Nigeria. The offering is associated with variable-load use cases and may combine generation equipment, installation, service management, financing, and prepaid purchasing. Specific system configurations and customer-volume data are not provided in the available source.

• Solar energy service · 2019

  Commercial solar electricity

  The company’s post-2019 model includes solar electricity services for commercial customers with variable electricity loads. WiSolar’s commercial proposition is presented as an alternative or supplement to conventional grid and generator power, but detailed sector packages, system sizes, and contract terms are not available.

• Energy service · 2019

  Prepaid solar electricity

  Prepaid solar electricity is a central WiSolar offering. The model is intended to let customers pay for electricity in advance and was planned for expansion across South Africa and Nigeria. WiSolar began deploying the service to residential estates in 2022, although the source does not provide tariff structures, coverage, or customer counts.

• Mobile energy application · 2022

  WiGo

  WiGo is WiSolar’s mobile application for independently purchasing prepaid solar electricity for homes. Introduced in 2022, it gives customers a digital purchasing channel for the company’s prepaid-energy service. The available reference does not specify supported operating systems, payment methods, or current geographic availability.

• Energy finance · 2020

  Solar financing solutions

  WiSolar began offering financing solutions in South Africa in 2020 through its Gateway Office in Bronkhorstspruit. The purpose was to reduce the upfront cost of adopting solar energy and make systems more accessible to mainstream residential and commercial customers. Specific lenders, rates, eligibility rules, and repayment terms are not identified.

• 2017Solar Scholar

  South Africa

  An educational renewable-energy awareness initiative involving visits to educational institutions, explanations of solar energy’s household benefits, and an online platform for student and institutional participation.

  Outcome. The source confirms the campaign and its educational activities but does not provide participation figures or measured outcomes.

  Source

• 2022

  Launch of WiGoProduct launch

  Background

  WiSolar’s prepaid solar-electricity model required a convenient customer purchasing channel.

  Action taken

  The company launched WiGo, a mobile application enabling users to purchase prepaid solar electricity for their homes.

  Aftermath

  WiGo added a self-service digital interface to WiSolar’s prepaid-energy offering. User numbers and commercial results are not available.

  Source

• 2020

  LG photovoltaic-panel partnershipOther

  Background

  WiSolar sought access to high-efficiency photovoltaic panels for its own projects and customer installations.

  Action taken

  The company partnered with LG, which became a stated supplier of high-efficiency black photovoltaic panels.

  Aftermath

  The partnership expanded WiSolar’s described equipment-supply relationships; later commercial terms and duration are not provided.

  Source

• 2019

  Shift from equipment manufacturing to solar electricity servicesStrategy

  Background

  WiSolar initially operated as an inverter OEM and solar installer before broadening its business model.

  Action taken

  The company transitioned toward supplying solar electricity to residential and commercial customers with variable loads.

  Aftermath

  This change established the service, prepaid-energy, and financing activities that characterize the company’s later model. Detailed performance effects are not reported.

  Source

• 2019

  Proposed financing for prepaid solar rolloutStrategy

  Background

  WiSolar sought to accelerate renewable-electricity deployment and reduce reliance on polluting fuel generators in South Africa and Nigeria.

  Action taken

  The company proposed raising $40 million through debt and equity for prepaid solar-electricity expansion.

  Aftermath

  The proposal established an expansion target, but the available reference does not confirm whether the full amount was raised or how the funds were ultimately used.

  Proposed debt-and-equity financing. $40 million proposed (2019 proposal)

  Source

• 2025

  WiSolar recognized in 2025 African growth and startup listings[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The supplied reference states that WiSolar appeared in the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies and Bloomberg’s 25 African Startups to Watch. Ranking details and independent verification are not available here.

• 2022

  WiSolar launches WiGo prepaid solar-electricity application[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  WiSolar introduced WiGo, a mobile application that allows customers to purchase prepaid solar electricity for their homes.

• 2022

  WiSolar deploys prepaid solar electricity to residential estates[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company commenced deployment of prepaid solar-electricity services to homes in residential estates in South Africa and Nigeria following earlier delays.

• 2020

  WiSolar partners with LG on photovoltaic panels[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WiSolar announced a partnership under which LG would provide high-efficiency black photovoltaic panels for WiSolar and its customers.

• 2020

  WiSolar begins offering solar-financing solutions[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Through its Gateway Office in Bronkhorstspruit, WiSolar began offering financing intended to make solar adoption more accessible in South Africa.

• 2019

  WiSolar proposes $40 million financing program for prepaid solar rollout[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company announced a proposed debt-and-equity raise to expand prepaid solar electricity in South Africa and Nigeria and reduce dependence on fuel generators. The reference does not confirm that the targeted amount was raised.

• 2019

  WiSolar announces solar-academy upskilling plans[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WiSolar announced plans to train electrical-engineering graduates through its solar academy to strengthen its internal technical capabilities.

• 2017

  WiSolar launches Solar Scholar renewable-energy awareness initiative[1]WiSolaren.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  WiSolar began an education-focused campaign in South Africa, visiting schools and creating an online platform to promote understanding of solar energy.

1. 1WiSolaren.wikipedia.org