Global subsidies to the energy sector are US$2 trillion per year. This study explores how subsidies can impede the entry of efficient lighting technologies into off-grid markets. The issue of fuel subsidies is key to understanding the dynamics of the off-grid lighting market. This study synthesizes and analyses existing information on energy subsidies and off-grid lighting in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries. It explores unintended consequences, the prospects for subsidy reform and associated policy strategies for reducing the need for fuel subsidies.