Bboxx, a data-driven platform connecting consumers to innovative products and services across Africa, has partnered with CreditChek as its technical partner on Nigeria’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project.
DARES is a $750 million World Bank-funded initiative designed to expand electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians through renewable energy.
According to both companies, the collaboration brings together Bboxx’s expertise in solar distribution and consumer financing with CreditChek’s AI-powered credit assessment platform to make solar home systems (SHS) more accessible for low-income households.
“To stay ahead, we focus on what we do best — sourcing, distribution, and financing — and partner with those who deliver world-class components that drive effectiveness and speed. CreditChek is our Pirelli tyres: providing the precision and reliability that let us accelerate with confidence and maximise our impact,” Bboxx’s Group Chief Credit Officer, Simone Vaccari said.
What You Should Know
CreditChek’s technology simplifies income verification, analyses credit histories, and detects fraud, giving Bboxx deeper visibility into customer risk profiles and enabling faster, smarter lending decisions.
“This will help us channel our resources into activities with the highest return whilst getting specialised support on important capabilities which are not our core,” Vaccari said.
“CreditChek, with its numerous integrations in the Nigerian market and AI capabilities, enables us to plug in and leap forward.”
Founded in 2022, CreditChek has become a cornerstone of Africa’s credit infrastructure. The platform connects to major African credit bureaus and uses AI to analyse bank statements in seconds.
What This Means
CreditChek’s flagship product, Income Insight, allows financial institutions to verify a customer’s creditworthiness in under 90 seconds, an improvement from the 20-minute industry average.
So far, CreditChek says it has processed over one million verifications and facilitated more than $50 million in approved loans.
The company has also forged key partnerships, including a 2025 collaboration with CredPal to power identity and creditworthiness verification for its credit card services, demonstrating CreditChek’s ability to integrate seamlessly into diverse financial ecosystems.
In June 2025, CreditChek expanded globally with its acquisition of US-based underwriting firm CreditCliq, extending its services to African immigrants worldwide.
The company says it is also expanding into 10 additional African markets, including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Malawi.
Tackling Nigeria’s Energy Access Gap
Solar home system financing in Nigeria has grown rapidly but still faces major financing challenges. Between 2019 and 2022, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) installed over one million stand-alone SHS units, reaching around five million Nigerians with clean electricity.
Yet, affordability remains a persistent barrier. Many potential users still struggle to purchase even subsidised solar systems without flexible payment plans or low-interest loans.
CreditChek and Bboxx say the DARES programme aims to bridge this gap by scaling access to millions of solar-powered systems in off-grid and underserved communities nationwide.
Understanding the Industry
Nigeria’s solar home systems (SHS) market is one of the fastest-growing in Africa. According to reports, Nigeria has the potential to generate $2 billion annually by equipping homes with solar power systems. As of 2024, Nigeria had around 385.7 MW of installed solar capacity, after adding 63.5 MW that year, putting the country fourth in Africa for solar adoption.
Competition in Nigeria’s SHS market is also intensifying, with several global and local players vying for dominance. Key competitors include Lumos Nigeria, Arnergy, d.light, Greenlight Planet (Sun King), Baobab+, and Zola Electric, all leveraging different business models ranging from consumer leasing to corporate solar solutions.
Together, industry leaders say Bboxx and CreditChek aim to make solar energy more affordable, accessible, and reliable for millions of Nigerian households.
By combining Bboxx’s renewable energy solutions with CreditChek’s data-driven credit intelligence, the partnership strengthens financial inclusion, ensuring that more Nigerians can access clean energy without financial strain.
Ultimately, analysts believe the collaboration exemplifies how African innovation and partnerships can accelerate sustainable growth, reduce energy poverty, and unlock economic potential across the continent.
Talking Points
It is impressive that Bboxx is partnering with CreditChek to strengthen credit assessment and financing for solar home systems, tackling one of the biggest barriers to clean energy adoption in Nigeria; affordability.
This collaboration directly addresses the financing gap that has limited millions of Nigerians from accessing reliable electricity despite government and private sector efforts.
At Techparley, we see how partnerships like this can reshape the off-grid energy landscape by merging renewable technology with data-driven credit infrastructure, making clean energy both accessible and sustainable for low-income households.
CreditChek’s AI-powered platform brings precision and speed to underwriting, enabling faster verification and smarter lending decisions. This allows Bboxx to focus on its core strength, delivering innovative energy solutions to communities that need them most.
With the right policy backing and sustained investment, this partnership could become a model for inclusive clean energy financing.
