This paper primarily deals with the development of highly efficient phosphorescent iridium (III) complex based on benzoimidazophenanthridine as main ligand. The potential of this complex, as phosphorescent emitter for optoelectronic applications, was screened by different methods, including luminescence spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry as well as photoelectron emission spectrometry. The possible application of the developed complex in single-colour vacuum-deposited organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) exhibiting warm orange electrophosphorescence was demonstrated. The device was characterized with CIE1931 colour coordinates of (0.539, 0.459), colour temperature of 2088 K and maximum external quantum efficiency of 17.5%. Good performance in OLEDs can be partly explained by efficient orange phosphorescence with quantum yield of 60% at room temperature. This paper also deals with the development of white hybrid solution-processable organic light-emitting devices, exploiting ultralow concentration of newly synthesized iridium (III) complex as phosphorescent dopant in combination with blue fluorescencent emitter(host), and green emitter exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter. It was designed and fabricated by spin coating white hybrid devices, and was characterized by high quality (human-eyes-friendly) electroluminescence achieving CIE1931 coordinates of (0.335, 0.392), colour temperature of 2910 K and colour rendering index of 72 as well as high maximum external quantum efficiency of 8.7%. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd