Jonathan Shaw: Kenyan-Born CEO Behind Ambitious Ksh5.6 Billion Project in DRC
Jonathan Shaw is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Nuru, a metrogrid utility company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The businessman is also the Founder of Cafe Kivu and other entrepreneurial projects in eastern Congo.
With major investments in the East Africa Community (EAC), Jon and his family live in Goma, DRC.
According to his LinkedIn, Jonathan Shaw holds a Master of Arts from William & Mary and PhD from the University of Michigan.
Nuru (Swahili for “light”) is a company dedicated to enhancing connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nuru deployed Congo’s first solar-based mini-grid in 2017 and has a 1.3MW solar hybrid site in Goma, the largest off-grid mini-grid in sub-Saharan Africa.
The company has another solar hybrid site in Beni and two in the oriental province (Tadu and Faradje).
Nuru was first established under the name Kivu Green Energy in August 2015. The company rebranded, changing its name in September 2019 to reflect its expansion beyond the Kivu regions into other parts of DRC.
Nuru was the first company to bring a commercial solar hybrid mini-grid online in Congo, and in February 2020, commissioned the largest off grid solar hybrid mini-grid in Africa in the city of Goma.
The utility company boasts development projects in six provinces in Congo achieving about 40 MWp of solar hybrid sites by the end of 2023.
On July 3, 2023, Jonathan Shaw secured Ksh5.6 billion (USD 40 million) to expand his renewable energy company, boosting DRC’s power capacity by 13.7 MWp.
The Kenyan-born CEO then announced that the funds would catapult the company’s ambition to connect 5 million people to clean energy by September 2024.
“We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic group of investors who are keen to drive our vision of expanding energy access and transforming 5 million lives in the DRC. Closing the Series B is a significant milestone in Nuru’s journey, but also demonstrates the viability of the metrogrid model in the distributed energy sector in Africa,” Shaw stated.
“Nuru extends its heartfelt appreciation to the consortium of investors for their visionary support and unwavering commitment to Nuru’s vision. Together, we will continue to illuminate lives, drive economic growth, and empower communities across the DRC,” he added.
