The Lighting Africa International Business Conference & Trade Fair is Sub-Saharan Africa’s most important conference and trade fair of its kind. Held every two years, the conference aims at promoting the use of affordable and high quality off-grid lighting products and services targeting low-income populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Conference is expected to attract about 500 participants and 60 exhibitors over a three-day period. The event is also anticipated to forge partnerships and distribution agreements between international manufacturers of off-grid lighting products and distributors based in Africa. Interactions and engagement with the government and key stakeholders will contribute towards lowering some of the existing market, policy and regulation barriers. The event will include a trade fair where companies will showcase their latest products and technology breakthroughs as well as the Lighting Africa Outstanding Product Awards ceremony. These Awards will recognize outstanding off-grid lighting products that are available for purchase in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal or Tanzania.

From May 18 to May 20, 2010, participants from across Africa and around the world will debate and discuss on ways of expanding the market for off-grid lighting products and services in Africa. Participants will include delegates from the global off-grid lighting industry, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, distributors, energy service companies, equipment and service vendors, financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral organizations, senior policy makers, end-users, academia and others.  

Key conference topics

Through several plenary sessions, break-out meetings and side events, the conference will address some of the key developments and challenges in the off-grid lighting and offer insights on industry trends and developments to date. The key conference topics include:

• Consumer and trade perspectives in off-grid lighting
• The status and trends in the off-grid lighting market
• Product advances in off-grid lighting
• Quality assurance and market  spoilage
• Policy drivers
• Emerging business models in reaching the bottom of the low-income populations
• Financing across the supply chain
• What helps and hurts in the marketplace

Contact information
For more information regarding the program, speakers and logistical details, contact: [email protected] or visit the Lighting Africa website at: www.lightingafrica.org