Sun King is establishing its first large-scale manufacturing operations in Africa, marking a major investment in local production and industrial growth. The company is establishing twin facilities in Kenya and Nigeria to manufacture its products closer to the millions of African customers who use them — a first for Sun King and a significant milestone for one of Africa’s fastest-growing industries.
The Kenya facility represents Sun King’s first large-scale manufacturing site in Africa, with the capacity to produce up to 700,000 units per year and scope for further expansion. A second facility in Nigeria is planned for a later phase, reinforcing Sun King’s long-term commitment to building a resilient, self-sustaining regional supply chain.
Sun King designs, installs, and finances a wide range of solar products and electronics, including smartphones and energy-efficient appliances such as televisions, fans, and freezers that work seamlessly with its solar systems. These products provide clean power and connectivity to millions of households and small businesses.
In Kenya, the new manufacturing facility will start by producing Sun King’s televisions and smartphones, designed to run efficiently on the solar systems that the company delivers. In both Nigeria and Kenya, Sun King is actively investigating how to expand into additional product lines and explore manufacturing pathways that leverage Kenya’s growing industrial base to lower costs for customers.
The new facilities will support the assembly and production of Sun King’s expanding portfolio of products for households and businesses across Africa. The Nairobi site alone is set to employ hundreds of entirely locally hired staff, supported by technical training, skills development, and upskilling programmes that promote fair employment opportunities for men and women.
By localising key elements of its manufacturing process in Africa, Sun King aims to reduce logistics costs and carbon emissions, shorten supply chains, and ensure product availability for customers. These investments help the continent capture more economic value generated by its growing demand for energy and technology.
The solar industry is emerging as one of Africa’s largest sources of new employment, as demand for clean, affordable energy accelerates across the continent. Sun King alone has created nearly 40,000 jobs globally — 99% of them in Africa and Asia, where the company sells, installs, and services its products.
The investment capitalises on the rapid expansion of solar and consumer technology markets across Africa, led by Sun King’s strong growth trajectory. Today, one in five Kenyan households has access to a Sun King product, and the company delivers more than 330,000 solar kits every month across the continent — up from just 10,000 in 2017. Alongside this, Sun King’s smartphone and television sales have grown rapidly, reflecting rising demand for affordable, reliable products that enable both power and connectivity.