Community Charging Stations in rural sub-Saharan Africa: Commercial success, positive externalities, and growing supply chains

Over the past two decades there has been a proliferation of energy kiosks across Africa and other parts of the developing world. Typically drawing on solar power, these enterprises provide services such as mobile phone and lantern recharging to (largely) rural communities with limited or no other access to electricity. This article develops a broad analytical framework for evaluating the outcomes of energy kiosks, taking into consideration long-term commercial viability, positive community impacts, the dissemination of improved lighting products, and the provision of credit. Using three energy kiosks as case studies, this article applies the developed framework to critically evaluate a NGO's energy kiosk programme in Sierra Leone, West Africa.