Solektra International to introduce Akon Lighting Africa to Powering Africa Summit

Senegalese musician Akon and partners Samba Bathily and Thione Niang's initiative, Akon Lighting Africa, will be introduced at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington, D.C., next week by Solektra International.

The summit was organized by EnergyNet, an investment company that focuses on the power sector in Africa.

Akon Lighting Africa's roll out highlights the importance of community engagement and how traffic volume delivers financial success. By focusing on basic energy needs and simple solutions, such as solar lanterns to increase access to education, the initiative has inspired solar energy production in rural, off-grid regions.

Akon Lighting Africa employs more than 5,000 people in 14 countries who install and maintain solar equipment. 

"It's very exciting that Solektra will join Energy Ministers and Director Generals from Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique, DRC, Namibia and Madagascar and more to promote these kinds of creative solutions -- after all, it is these leaders who will write and implement the vision of government and be responsible for project realization," Managing Director of EnergyNet Simon Gosling said.

The Powering Africa Summit will start Wednesday and end Friday at the Marriott Marquis.