Fenix International, a next-generation energy company and subsidiary of ENGIE opens its sixth market in Mozambique, where it expects to reach 200,000 households with clean energy and inclusive financial services within 3 years.
The company has already connected 500,000 customers to solar power in Uganda, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Nigeria.
Fenix has rapidly grown operations as a subsidiary of ENGIE, enabling the company to scale off-grid energy and financial services across new markets, with Mozambique the fourth new market opened within the past year.
Fenix has partnered with Vodacom and Vodafone M-Pesa SA to tackle the challenges of distribution, connectivity and mobile payments that have left rural Mozambicans underserved by affordable energy products in the past.
“Mozambique has set an ambitious target with their ProEnergia initiative to reach 100% of the population with electricity by 2030. The country represents an optimal market for off-grid solar products, with only 27% of households currently connected to electricity and a highly distributed population. Fenix’s operations here will focus on reaching those most in need of energy access, particularly districts in the North and people who are using expensive, polluting, and dangerous methods such as kerosene and candles to light their homes,” Luke Hodgkinson, Managing Director of Fenix Mozambique, said in a press release copied to energynewsafrica.com.
Luke adds, “We are delighted to partner with Vodacom and Vodafone M-Pesa SA. With their market-leading brand, distribution network and payment platform, and Fenix’s high-quality products and excellent last-mile customer service, together we can provide clean energy and financial inclusion to millions of rural Mozambicans. Once these foundations have been established, the possibilities to bring other life-changing products, from household appliances to crop insurance, are truly endless.”
Gulamo Nabi, from Vodafone M-Pesa SA adds, “We’ve been working to unlock the potential of M-Pesa for the millions of Mozambicans in rural areas, far from the national grid or traditional financial services.
“Vodafone M-Pesa SA is excited to work with Fenix to access these areas and provide the easy, fast and secure payment platform for customers to light up their homes with clean, affordable energy. This is totally aligned with our mission to create mobile solutions to change our customers lives,” the statement concluded.
