Lighting Africa 2nd International Business Conference and International Trade Fair On off-grid Lighting and Energy Access in Sub-Saharan Africa May18th - 20th, 2010 - Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya, March 16, 2010 IFC and the World Banks Lighting Africa program are inviting the media to attend Lighting Africas second International Business Conference & Trade Fair on off-grid Lighting and Energy Access in Sub-Saharan Africa from May 18-20, 2010 at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

Members of the media will have the opportunity to meet and interview company CEOs, lighting industry representatives, World Bank Group officials and market movers, including the winners of Lighting Africas Outstanding products Awards competition, who will be announced at the conference. These Awards will recognize outstanding off-grid lighting products that are available to consumers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal or Tanzania.

The conference will also feature an announcement by the US Department of Energy regarding the financial support it intends to provide to Lighting Africa to help expand the market for off-grid lighting products to millions of low-income consumers within and outside Africa.

The conference is part of the World Bank Groups efforts to promote affordable and high quality off-grid lighting products and services among low-income populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The event is expected to attract about 500participants and 60 exhibitors over three-days. Other highlights include a trade fair for companies to showcase their latest products and technology breakthroughs and the Lighting Africa Outstanding Product Awards ceremony.

Participants will include: delegates from the global off-grid lighting industry, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, distributors, importers, energy service companies, financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral organizations, senior policymakers, end-users and academia.

For more information and to register, visit: www.lightingafrica.org

About the World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is one of the worlds largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, www.miga.org, and www.ifc.org.

About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $14.5 billion in fiscal 2009, helping play a prominent role in addressing the financial crisis. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.