Nova Lumos
Nova Lumos (Lumos Global) is a private off-grid solar home systems provider that sells lease-to-own L1, ECO, and PRIME solar kits to households and small businesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, distributed through trained local Partner and Delegate networks with mobile-phone installment payments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nova Lumos does
Nova Lumos (doing business as Lumos Global) is a private off-grid solar home systems (SHS) provider founded in 2012, headquartered in Amsterdam, with operational hubs in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. The company sells a standardized three-tier hardware portfolio — the entry-level Lumos L1, the mid-range Lumos ECO (B7), and the higher-capacity Lumos PRIME (B9) — each consisting of a solar panel, battery storage, and integrated power management capable of running lights, fans, TVs, laptops, mobile phones, and small-business appliances. Underlying components include remote-monitoring telemetry and an Energy Management System that lets customers regulate consumption to fit their budget; payments are collected through mobile-phone airtime or mobile money at roughly ₦800 per day or ₦24,950 per month, after a small initial fee. The company claims 70–80% cost savings versus incumbent fuel generators.
Lumos reaches customers through a distributed, last-mile model: a network of local entrepreneurs branded Partners in Nigeria and Delegates in Côte d'Ivoire handle sales, installation, and after-sales service. These Partners and Delegates are trained and certified through the Lumos Academy (general sales/technical curriculum) and the more recent Lumos Management Academy (targeted at Partner Development Managers and field leadership with live dashboards and operational playbooks). Field operations are layered with Partner Development Managers, State Managers, and Territory Managers providing oversight. Marketing is largely content- and referral-driven, leaning on a corporate blog, organic social presence (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), and word-of-mouth through the partner and customer base.
The business targets two primary segments — off-grid households and small/medium enterprises (barbershops, bakeries, water producers, electronics retailers, rural farming camps) — across geographies where roughly 46% of Nigeria's 200 million people and 33% of Côte d'Ivoire's 28 million people lack reliable grid access, displacing an estimated 22 million polluting generators in Nigeria alone. Disclosed funding totals approximately $172 million across rounds in 2013, 2016 ($50M), 2019 ($87M, led by the Rural Electrification Agency), and 2020 ($35M from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation). The company has stated no disclosed revenue figure, parent company, or operating subsidiaries; headcount is reported in the 251–500 range.
Nova Lumos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nova Lumos
- Legal name
- Lumos
- Website
- https://lumos-global.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Nova Lumos (Lumos Global) is a private off-grid solar home systems provider that sells lease-to-own L1, ECO, and PRIME solar kits to households and small businesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, distributed through trained local Partner and Delegate networks with mobile-phone installment payments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nova Lumos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Off-grid solar home systems
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Consumer Goods Rental (5322)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar PV Power Plant EPC (Utility-Scale) (EUAEAAAG)
Keywords
Where Nova Lumos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nova Lumos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Solar Home System Sales: Lumos sells solar home systems (L1, PRIME, ECO) to households and SMEs. Customers pay a small initial fee followed by affordable monthly installments via mobile phone. Once fully paid, systems are owned by customers and deliver free power. The lease-to-own model makes solar accessible to low-income populations without large upfront capital.
- Hardware Sales (One-time): Sale of solar home system hardware including solar panels, batteries, and accessories. Customers own the system after completing installment payments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Affordable monthly installments via mobile phone with small initial fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Nova Lumos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nova Lumos (operating as Lumos Global) sells solar home systems (L1, PRIME, ECO) to off-grid households and small businesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. Customers pay a small initial fee followed by affordable monthly installments via mobile phone under a lease-to-own model. Distribution, installation, and after-sales service are delivered through a trained network of local Partners (Nigeria) and Delegates/Territory Managers (Côte d'Ivoire), with partner training provided by the Lumos Academy.
Product overview
Lumos offers a portfolio of solar home systems (SHS) designed for off-grid households and small businesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. The product lineup consists of the Lumos L1 (entry-level), Lumos ECO/B7 (mid-range affordable), and Lumos PRIME (higher-capacity). All systems are solar-powered with battery storage, provided on lease-to-own payment plans via mobile phone, and supported by a network of local Partners and Delegates. The systems power appliances including lights, fans, TVs, laptops, phones, radios, and CCTV. The company also operates the Lumos Academy for partner training and the Lumos Management Academy for staff development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lumos L1: Solar home system product line offered by Lumos.
- Lumos PRIME
- Lumos ECO
- Lumos Yellow Box
- Lumos Academy
- Lumos Management Academy
Quantifiable outcome
- 70-80% cost reduction compared to fuel generators
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Nova Lumos
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nova Lumos technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Nova Lumos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nova Lumos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ENGIE Energy Access: Multinational utility's off-grid solar division operating mini-grids and SHS across Africa. Comparable in off-grid solar distribution, but with broader portfolio including grid-connected solutions and corporate backing from ENGIE.
- Fenix International (ENGIE): Acquired by ENGIE and now operating under ENGIE Energy Access, Fenix historically offered pay-as-you-go solar in Uganda and expanded across Africa. Comparable SHS product line and mobile payment integration, with broader corporate backing.
Direct peers
- Zola Electric: Off-grid solar provider (formerly Off Grid Electric) operating in Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, and other African markets. Directly competes with Lumos in Ivorian market with similar pay-as-you-go smart solar home systems.
- M-KOPA: Leading pay-as-you-go solar home system provider operating across East and West Africa, including Nigeria. Directly comparable to Lumos in lease-to-own model, mobile payment integration, and target customer (off-grid households and SMBs).
- BBOXX: UK-based solar energy company providing pay-as-you-go solar home systems across Africa. Directly comparable business model and customer segment to Lumos, with overlapping geographic presence in West Africa.
- Sun King (Greenlight Planet): Pay-as-you-go solar company operating across Africa and Asia, with strong presence in Nigeria. Comparable to Lumos in lease-to-own SHS model and focus on off-grid households.
- d.light: Global off-grid solar company distributing SHS and lanterns across Africa and Asia. Comparable to Lumos in product portfolio, pay-as-you-go financing, and focus on emerging market energy access.
Emerging players
- BioLite: Off-grid energy company selling solar products with mobile integration across East Africa and Asia. Comparable in targeting off-grid households with clean energy solutions, though with stronger product focus on energy-efficient appliances and stoves.
- Sistema.bio: Mexican-origin clean energy company providing biodigester and solar solutions to off-grid and rural customers. Comparable in serving smallholder farmers and rural SMBs with clean energy access, though with biogas primary focus.
Regional players
- SolarHome: Pay-as-you-go solar provider in Southeast Asia with similar lease-to-own model. Comparable in business mechanics (mobile payments, SHS distribution) but operates in different geography (Myanmar, Cambodia) rather than directly competing with Lumos in West Africa.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nova Lumos social profiles
Digital presenceNova Lumos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nova Lumos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Nova Lumos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nova Lumos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nova Lumos
What does Nova Lumos do?
Nova Lumos (operating as Lumos Global) sells solar home systems (L1, PRIME, ECO) to off-grid households and small businesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. Customers pay a small initial fee followed by affordable monthly installments via mobile phone under a lease-to-own model. Distribution, installation, and after-sales service are delivered through a trained network of local Partners (Nigeria) and Delegates/Territory Managers (Côte d'Ivoire), with partner training provided by the Lumos Academy.
Is Nova Lumos a public or private company?
Nova Lumos is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nova Lumos founded?
Nova Lumos was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Nova Lumos based?
Nova Lumos is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Nova Lumos make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Solar Home System Sales are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales (One-time).
Who are Nova Lumos's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ENGIE Energy Access and Fenix International (ENGIE). Direct peers are Zola Electric, M-KOPA, BBOXX, Sun King (Greenlight Planet) and d.light. Emerging players are BioLite and Sistema.bio. SolarHome is listed as a regional player.
Does Nova Lumos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nova Lumos.
What industry is Nova Lumos in?
Nova Lumos's product category is Off-grid solar home systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAEAAAG, Solar PV Power Plant EPC (Utility-Scale). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4911.