Power
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| By Anayo Ezugwu | Nov 28, 2016 @ 19:00 GMT |
IN continuation of its programme on the potentials of renewable energy in Nigeria, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Lagos, organised seminar for start-ups in renewable energy in the country. The seminar, on Monday, November 14, in Lagos, which is the tenth in its series, was aimed at giving young creative German and Nigerian entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and sustainable business models a platform to share their experiences and introduce their business models and products.
In his introductory remarks, Ingo Herbert, German Consul General, advised renewable energy entrepreneurs in the country to always bear in mind that energy the sector is a critical sector of the country’s economy. He said the young entrepreneurs should utilise the large market in the sector by helping the nation to solve its perennial electricity problems.
Ekene Aina, partnership and expansion manager, Mobisol GmbH, Berlin, Germany, gave an interesting insight into Mobisol’s journey through the years and how they transformed the original idea into a business model building the right team and securing financing and scaling. He said with a loan from DEG, Mobisol started its operation in 2010.
“During the last six years, the company could access further supports from international funds and transformed into a major solar home system, SHS, business in East Africa serving over 300,000 people with clean, affordable reliable solar energy. Apart from these, we equally have Mobisol academy where we train people on how to use renewable energy and installation of solar energy panels,” he said.
According to Aina, the prerequisites for thriving as an entrepreneur and for building a sustainable business anywhere in the world is having a bankable and sustainable business model that guarantees considerable return of investment, delivers qualitative services to humanity and secures access to finance. He said the company is Nigeria to identify how to develop critical renewable energy in the country.
He said Mobisol would be ready to partner with indigenous renewable companies in the country as well as learn from them. He stated that the company intended to attract donor agencies on renewable energy to Nigeria to invest in the sector. “We really need to learn from people already in the system in Nigeria and equally partner with them. There is also problem of financing and we intend to get investors that will finance our projects. We equally target rural areas in Nigeria.
“Our target is 80 percent rural and 20 percent urban. We have gone to Kaduna, Kano, Stokoto and Kastina States, trying to understand the level of projects that are happening and as what will be the right community to start with. In order to do these, there is a lot of work in terms of rural communities because the north has been positioned as one the most places to begin but I don’t think is only the north. I think there are opportunities in the north, west, east, and south. And in terms of finding the right communities, I’m hoping that guys in the sector before us would be able to provide guidance.”
In his presentation on ‘Cold Hubs; Two Birds with one Stone – Creating Wealth through Food Preservation with Solar’ Bright Igbokwe, chief operating officer, Cold Hubs Nigeria, highlighted the various challenges in the agriculture value-chain and emphasised the need for immediate and deliberate actions by all players in the sector to overcome them. He disclosed that over 45 percent post harvest food wastage is recorded in Nigeria annually due to lack of cold storage facility. He noted that the huge energy deficit in Nigeria is adversely affecting food production for the growing population.
With its plug and play modular solar-powered walk-in cold room, for 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of perishable foods, Cold Hubs not only identified a pressing need in the sector but also provides an affordable preen solution to tackle the same problem. Igbokwe stated that with the grant from powering agriculture GIZ and the technical and scientific support by the Institut Fur Luft und Kaltetechnil GmbH, Cold Hubs has developed into a significant business that is providing employment especially to women, increasing local farmer’s annual income by reducing farm produce wastage and promoting adequate nutrition for both rural and urban dwellers.
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