A research by Philips has shown that Africa would save up to N1.63 trillion ($10 billion) in energy costs annually, more than 50 million tonnes of carbon and the equivalent output of 35 power stations, if the continent were to switch its existing lighting, currently run on diesel and fuel which gulps a lot of money to new LED solutions, even as these figures only include on-grid lighting where electricity is present.

According to Nick Kelso, senior communications manager, LED solutions when combined with the latest innovations in battery and solar developments provide practical and sustainable light for some 600 million Africans who currently live without electricity. As a result, Philips sees the need for new LED solutions in Africa, and Nigeria is considered as a massive market waiting to be first tapped.

Philips predicts that LED will share 75 per cent in the global lighting market (value) in 2020, a figure derived from both current sales data, including thoughts around future trends.

Figures supporting a rapid switch to LED lighting are that lighting currently consumes an average of 19 per cent of global electricity production with a great majority based on older less efficient technologies developed 1970.

A full switch to the latest LED lighting would provide a significant energy saving of up to 80 per cent in many applications, including an average of 40 per cent for all lighting. In most cases, it is a simple switch to make and should be noted that more than three quarters of all lighting is in commercial and industrial world rather than domestic.

Many global initiatives are currently being taken by companies, governments and NGOs to speed up the rate of switch. The rate of adoption which depends on factors such as further cost price reductions, the speed of investment and quality end of the lighting industry is in creating awareness and getting the world to switch.

Research has shown that people prefer the light even though in the past, the quality could still be demonstrated by conventional measurement and less than conventional sources.