In Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria, decentralized microgrids powered by solar panels and battery storage are reshaping lives. Supported by initiatives like Power Africa and companies such as Bboxx and M-KOPA, these systems bypass fragile national grids and deliver affordable energy directly to communities. The results are transformative: children can study at night, shops can refrigerate goods, and health clinics can store medicines safely. By 2030, over 600 million people in Africa may still face energy poverty — but microgrids show a scalable, climate-friendly solution. Funding from the African Development Bank and partnerships with global tech firms have accelerated adoption, proving that distributed renewables can leapfrog traditional infrastructure in the same way mobile phones leapfrogged landlines.