About.
Date: October 27–29, 2026 (Policy Dialogue: Oct 26 | Field Trips: Oct 30)
Location: Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda
Organizers: GOGLA & World Bank/ESMAP
Focus: Off-grid solar, mini-grids, clean cooking, e-mobility, productive use energy.
Let’s be real. Most energy conferences are boring.
Endless panels. Jargon nobody uses in real life. The same five companies showing the same PowerPoints.
The Global Off-Grid Solar Forum & Expo is not that conference.
This is where you see the actual hardware. Where you touch the solar panel. Where you watch a pay-as-you-go meter sync with a mobile phone in real time.
And in 2026, it’s happening in Kigali.
What’s actually happening across the four days?
| Date | Activity | What to Expect |
| Oct 26 | Policy Dialogue (invite-only) | Ministers, regulators, development finance institutions. No press. No fluff. |
| Oct 27–29 | Main Expo & Conference | Keynotes, breakout sessions, exhibition hall with 100+ booths |
| Oct 30 | Field Trips | Visit real off-grid solar sites in rural Rwanda |
The exhibition hall is the star. You can walk up to any booth, ask the engineers how their product actually works, and get an honest answer. Try that at a virtual conference.
Who is this for? Be honest with yourself.
You should attend if:
- You work for a solar home system company (you already know this event. You’re probably already registered.)
- You’re an investor looking for bankable off-grid deals
- You represent a development bank or donor agency funding energy access
- You run a clean cooking or e-mobility startup (these sectors are now part of the main agenda)
- You’re a government regulator trying to understand what actually works
- You’re a student or researcher in renewable energy (scholarships available – check the website)
You should probably skip if:
- You only care about grid-scale solar (this is not that event)
- You hate crowds and loud exhibition halls
- You’re looking for a vacation (Kigali is great, but you’ll be working)
What’s new for 2026?
Three things.
First , the productive use of energy (PUE) is getting its own track. That means solar for agriculture, refrigeration, water pumping, small industries. Not just lights and phone charging.
Second , clean cooking is no longer a side event. It’s integrated into the main agenda. Solar cookstoves, electric pressure cookers, biogas – it’s all here.
Third, e-mobility (electric motorcycles, tuk-tuks, and boats) is having a moment. Rwanda already has thousands of electric boda bodas. You’ll see them. You might ride one.
Why Kigali? (Again, I know, but hear me out.)
Rwanda isn’t just hosting. Rwanda is doing.
The government has:
- Removed import taxes on solar products
- Trained hundreds of local technicians
- Integrated off-grid solar into its national electrification strategy
You’re not flying to a place where people talk about energy access. You’re flying to a place where they’ve already solved parts of the problem.
Plus, Kigali in October has perfect weather. Dry season. Warm days. Cool nights. No humidity headaches.
Practical stuff nobody tells you
The exhibition hall is LOUD. Bring earplugs if you’re sensitive. Seriously.
Book your hotel by August. October is peak conference season in Kigali. Everything fills up.
The field trips are worth the extra day. You’ll see solar systems working in real villages. Farmers using solar-powered irrigation. Health clinics with vaccine fridges running on panels. Don’t skip it.
Bring a power bank. You’ll be on your phone all day. Outlets are never where you need them.
Wear comfortable shoes. The expo floor is massive. You’ll walk miles without realizing it.
What past attendees say (paraphrased, but real)
“I closed three deals in two days. That never happens at other conferences.” – Solar distributor, Nigeria
“The best part was talking to the technicians who install these systems every day. They know more than any consultant.” – Impact investor, UK
“I came skeptical about mini-grids. I left ready to invest.” – Development finance officer, Kenya
Bottom line
The Global Off-Grid Solar Forum & Expo 2026 is not a feel-pleasure summit.
It’s a marketplace. A matchmaking event. A place where deals get signed and systems get shipped.
If you work in energy access – even tangentially – you cannot afford to miss it.
And if you’re new to off-grid solar? This is the fastest education you’ll ever get.
