Sun King, a leading off-grid solar company, is establishing its first large-scale manufacturing operations in Africa, marking a major investment in local production and industrial growth.
The company is establishing twin facilities in Kenya and Nigeria to manufacture its products closer to the millions of African customers who use them, a first for Sun King and a significant milestone for one of Africa’s fastest-growing industries.
The Kenya facility represents Sun King’s first large-scale manufacturing site in Africa, with the capacity to produce up to 700,000 units per year and scope for further expansion.
A second facility in Nigeria is planned for a later phase, reinforcing Sun King’s long-term commitment to building a resilient, self-sustaining regional supply chain.
Sun King designs, installs, and finances a wide range of solar products and electronics, including smartphones and energy-efficient appliances such as televisions, fans, and freezers that work seamlessly with its solar systems. These products provide clean power and connectivity to millions of households and small businesses.
In Kenya, the new manufacturing facility will start by producing Sun King’s televisions and smartphones, designed to run efficiently on the solar systems that the company delivers.
In both Nigeria and Kenya, Sun King is actively investigating how to expand into additional product lines and explore manufacturing pathways that leverage Kenya’s growing industrial base to lower costs for customers.
“At Sun King, we’re driven by a simple commitment: to deliver the best-quality products at prices that families and businesses can afford. These facilities allow us to harness Africa’s talent and ingenuity to keep delivering on that promise,” T. Patrick Walsh, CEO and co-founder, Sun King
Building Africa’s Manufacturing Future
Africa accounts for only around 2 percent of global manufacturing value added, and in most Sub-Saharan countries, fewer than one in ten workers are employed in manufacturing. Yet the continent’s population is projected to double by 2050, with half of all new entrants to the global labour force coming from Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
Sun King’s investment responds directly to this challenge. Local manufacturing will create skilled jobs, build technical capacity, and retain more value within African economies, supporting governments’ efforts to promote industrialisation, resilience, and inclusive economic growth.
The new facilities will support the assembly and production of Sun King’s expanding portfolio of products for households and businesses across Africa.
The Nairobi site alone is set to employ hundreds of entirely locally hired staff, supported by technical training, skills development, and upskilling programmes that promote fair employment opportunities for men and women.
“To unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s energy transition, we need the private sector — our industrialists, innovators, and financiers, to take bold steps forward.” Noted Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, “We [The Government of Nigeria] are enhancing incentives for local manufacturing, streamlining regulatory frameworks, and deepening collaboration with State Governments, investors, and development partners to de-risk private capital and accelerate the growth of a self-sustaining renewable energy market.”
“I want to thank Sun King for the courage and confidence that they have shown. This milestone is a symbol of growing confidence in Kenya’s local manufacturing,” Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary, State Department of Industry, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. “This is very much in line with the Kenyan Government’s agenda, such as the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.”
Driving Growth and Resilience
By localising key elements of its manufacturing process in Africa, Sun King aims to reduce logistics costs and carbon emissions, shorten supply chains, and ensure product availability for customers. These investments help the continent capture more economic value generated by its growing demand for energy and technology.
The solar industry is emerging as one of Africa’s largest sources of new employment, as demand for clean, affordable energy accelerates across the continent. Sun King alone has created nearly 40,000 jobs globally, 99 percent of them in Africa and Asia, where the company sells, installs, and services its products.
“Our new Kenyan facility, and the one soon to follow in Nigeria, reflect Sun King’s long-term partnership with governments and local communities to advance Africa’s manufacturing capability,” said Dr. Wale Aboyade, senior vice president, Public Policy and Government Relations, Sun King. “Both countries have the policy vision, the talent, and the ambition to lead this transformation, and we’re proud to help turn that potential into lasting industrial growth across the continent.”
The investment capitalises on the rapid expansion of solar and consumer technology markets across Africa, led by Sun King’s strong growth trajectory.
Today, one in five Kenyan households has access to a Sun King product, and the company delivers more than 330,000 solar kits every month across the continent, up from just 10,000 in 2017.
Alongside this, Sun King’s smartphone and television sales have grown rapidly, reflecting rising demand for affordable, reliable products that enable both power and connectivity.
“Opening our own manufacturing facility in Kenya gives us the scale to deliver more efficiently, the flexibility to innovate faster, and the foundation to grow a resilient manufacturing ecosystem here in Africa. For our customers, it means faster access to products and quality solutions made closer to home,” said Kota Kojima, chief operating officer, Sun King.
