Off-grid solar company Sun King has secured a USD 5 M equity investment from Acumen to expand its operations in Zambia and attract additional local-currency financing.

Founded in 2007 by T. Patrick Walsh and Anish Thakkar and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Sun King designs and distributes pay-as-you-go solar systems and appliances for households and small businesses without reliable grid access.

The company entered Zambia in 2021 as Greenlight Planet Zambia and has since delivered 1 million solar kits in the country.

The investment, made through Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach Catalyze initiative, is expected to help Sun King expand access to energy for nearly 5.6 million people over five years, including up to 4.5 million Zambians who could gain electricity access for the first time. Sun King operates across several African markets, including Nigeria and Kenya.