d.light, a provider of transformational household products and affordable finance for low-income households has announced the closing of a landmark USD$7.4 million securitised financing facility from Chapel Hill Denham’s Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund to scale up d.light’s low-cost Pay-Go offering of affordable, solar-powered products targeted at low-income households.
The structure of the financing was set up and is sponsored by African Frontier Capital, who also acts as the master servicer and backup servicer in the transaction.
Commenting on the news, d.light CEO Nick Imudia said, “This landmark financing opens up access to our range of solar-powered household goods to more low-income families and households in Nigeria, in a way that is affordable for them and sustainable for our business.
“d.light has a track record of success in using securitized finance in other Sub-Saharan African countries as a flexible, scalable financing model for raising equity for off-grid solar that is guaranteed against current and future customer sales. We are now applying this experience in Nigeria as we scale up our operations there. In Chapel Hill Denham, we have a partner that is not only commercially astute but also equally dedicated to sustainable development.”
Last year’s Energy Progress Report, compiled by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Energy Agency, the UN and the World Bank, identified Nigeria as the country with the largest number of people (circa. 86 million) without access to electricity. Even those connected to the grid rarely receive a reliable supply.
In addition, nearly 80 percent of Nigeria’s electricity is currently provided by GHG-emitting thermal generation sources, necessitating a rapid transition to clean and reliable energy sources. d.light and Chapel Hill Denham are committed to supporting this energy transition through innovative products and financing solutions.
According to Bolaji Balogun, Chief Executive Officer of Chapel Hill Denham, “This transaction signifies a pivotal stride in sustainable infrastructure investment in Nigeria, setting a transformative precedent for the renewable energy sector. By pioneering local currency securitization for the financing of solar home systems and essential solar-powered household utilities in Nigeria, Chapel Hill Denham is catalyzing innovation in the renewable energy sector, advancing sustainable development, empowering communities, and reshaping Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape for a brighter, more sustainable future for all.”
“This is another significant milestone for Chapel Hill Denham and NIDF, with the first-ever at scale, local currency securitization financing for Solar Home Systems and other solar-powered household goods in Nigeria,” added Anshul Rai, Partner: Infrastructure & Climate at Chapel Hill Denham. “We continue to broaden the range of financing solutions available to infrastructure providers in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on solving the greatest sustainable development challenges facing Nigeria.”