Sterling Bank, StarTimes Boost Solar Access with N2bn Financing Drive
Partnership launches five Lagos hubs, with plans to expand to 46 outlets by the end of the third quarter of 2026
Sterling Bank and StarTimes Nigeria have launched solar financing hubs inside selected StarTimes retail outlets as part of an initiative targeting ₦2 billion in renewable energy financing by the end of 2026.
The Sterling Solar Financing Hubs are designed to give households and small businesses access to solar products and financing services at the point of purchase, reducing the burden of paying the full cost upfront, according to a statement on Thursday.
The initiative builds on an existing partnership between the two companies that facilitated more than ₦600 million in solar financing transactions over the past year. Their new target represents more than a threefold increase and is expected to help thousands of Nigerians adopt reliable and affordable alternative energy solutions.
Under the arrangement, customers visiting participating StarTimes outlets can select solar products, receive guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors and begin an application immediately. Approval will remain subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase begins in July with five hubs in Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere and Victoria Island.
Sterling Bank and StarTimes plan to expand the network to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026. The partners also intend to extend the model eventually to more than 200 StarTimes locations across Nigeria.
Darlington Nwankwo, Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, said the initiative would bring financing closer to customers and make clean energy more accessible.
“Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs,” Nwankwo said.
He added that the programme was intended to unlock economic opportunities, improve livelihoods and support Nigeria’s transition to a more sustainable energy future.
StarTimes Nigeria Vice President Eric Xiao described the partnership as an effort to build a broader energy-access ecosystem rather than simply sell solar products.
“By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy,” Xiao said.
He said StarTimes would continue to deepen the partnership to make reliable, affordable and smart energy solutions available to more Nigerians.
The initiative comes as Nigerian households and businesses increasingly turn to solar systems and other alternative energy sources amid concerns over unreliable electricity supply and rising energy costs.
Sterling Bank, which operates a dedicated Renewable Energy division, said it would continue working with StarTimes to close financing gaps and accelerate clean-energy adoption nationwide.
