By Jacob Winiecki

Africa’s Energy Crisis

Africa is facing a crippling energy crisis, with nearly 600 million people lacking access to electricity. The continent is undergoing a significant shift toward renewable energy, with solar leading the way as the most promising solution. By 2030, Africa’s solar energy sector is expected to generate up to 1.7 million new jobs, representing 57% of all green jobs across the continent​. As investments in solar energy grow, the demand for a skilled workforce rises, especially in rural areas. 

Despite the tremendous potential for solar energy in Africa, companies driving the sector’s growth face significant challenges when expanding into rural areas. Limited access to qualified technical talent makes building a reliable workforce for sales, installations, and after-sales service difficult. High in-house payroll costs and low-quality installations from untrained local labour further exacerbate these issues, leading to compromised project execution. As a result, many solar providers struggle to scale efficiently, limiting their ability to grow and meet the increasing demand for clean energy in underserved regions.

Instollar has tapped into this growing market by supplying qualified technicians and making it easier for solar energy providers to scale their operations in regions with limited access to energy.

The opportunity is clear: Instollar is disrupting the African solar sector while creating life-changing job opportunities in regions that need them the most.

Instollar, a green workforce marketplace, is closing this gap by connecting solar companies with a highly trained, vetted, and geographically distributed workforce of solar installers across Nigeria. By solving several major problems, Instollar is addressing key bottlenecks hindering the growth of Africa’s solar sector. Instollar delivers a vetted, gig-based workforce of skilled solar technicians, enabling matching between solar companies and local installers. This model reduces operational costs, improves project execution, and allows companies to scale faster while empowering rural communities with sustainable job opportunities. 

Instollar’s Solution

Instollar’s innovative solution lies in its digital platform, which operates as a two-sided gig marketplace, similar to other gig economy platforms. The platform allows solar companies to connect with a pool of vetted, rural-based solar technicians for installation and maintenance jobs. By digitising technician registration, training, and job matching, Instollar streamlines the entire process, making it easy for energy providers to find skilled labour close to their project sites. This approach reduces costs, improves efficiency, and drives the rapid scaling of solar installations across Nigeria. Instollar’s network of over 900 freelancers spans all 36 Nigerian states, enabling solar companies to complete over 1,800 solar projects wherever they arise. 

Instollar offers a comprehensive range of services, including end-to-end solar installations, energy audits to optimise energy consumption, routine maintenance and after-sales services for solar products, and training-as-a-service to upskill solar workforces. In addition, the company is preparing to launch a solar product marketplace, providing a one-stop shop for purchasing solar equipment delivered directly to customers’ doorsteps.

The company’s InstallHER initiative is another standout feature. With a commitment to gender inclusivity, Instollar has already graduated 31 women in its first all-female cohort who have been placed into technical and direct sales roles. The program provides intensive training and hands-on internships, to train 10,000 women by 2030​. 

Social and Economic Impact

Beyond being a workforce solution, Instollar’s platform is transforming the lives of individuals in rural communities. By providing training and job opportunities in solar energy, the company contributes to economic empowerment while addressing the continent’s energy deficit. The platform offers freelancers access to flexible work, training programs, and career advancement opportunities, helping them boost their earning potential significantly. Instollar’s innovative gig-based model also aligns with the continent’s shift toward more sustainable economic practices, as it directly supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including affordable and clean energy, decent work, and gender equality.

Scalability and Market Potential

With the renewable energy market in sub-Saharan Africa projected to grow to $20 billion by 2026​, Instollar is well-positioned to scale. The company’s immediate focus includes expanding its green workforce in West Africa to 5,000 technicians, signing 100 strategic partnerships, and completing 50,000 solar installations by 2026​. Instollar’s early success has attracted marquee solar companies across Nigeria, further demonstrating its potential to scale its platform and impact. Looking ahead, Instollar plans to expand into East Africa, where similar demand for skilled solar technicians is growing rapidly.

Why We Invested

We invested in Instollar through the Catalyst Jobtech Accelerator because of its transformative impact on the solar energy workforce in Africa. By providing technicians with access to a gig-based platform, Instollar enables workers to significantly increase their earning potential while maintaining flexible schedules. Technicians can choose projects that suit their preferences, gaining professional autonomy and financial security. Additionally, Instollar offers training opportunities and certifications, empowering technicians to upskill and improve their employability. The platform connects these technicians to Africa’s largest green energy talent community, positioning them for long-term success and career growth in a rapidly expanding sector.

We invested in Instollar because its mission to close the skills gap in Africa’s renewable energy sector aligns perfectly with our focus on supporting scalable green jobs. The company’s ability to deliver a vetted, highly skilled workforce to solar companies across the continent makes it an ideal partner for accelerating Africa’s green transition.

Conclusion

As Instollar continues to expand its platform, technician network, and partnerships, the company is poised to play a pivotal role in Africa’s energy future. With a goal to train 10,000 women through the InstallHER initiative by 2030 and scale to 50,000 solar installations by 2026, Instollar is leading the charge for a more sustainable, equitable future for the continent.

We are proud to support Instollar on this journey and look forward to seeing the transformative impact they will have on Africa’s renewable energy landscape. Join us in supporting Instollar and the future of green energy jobs across Africa.