Thirteen Nigerian-owned enterprises involved in the renewable energy space have won $100,000 at the 2021 Nigeria Off-Grid Energy Challenge.

The annual challenge is a multi-year partnership between the United States Development Fund (USADF) and All On, a Shell-funded impact investor, to identify and scale innovative off-grid solutions to “power up” unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.

All 13 enterprises, according to the partners, will be awarded $50,000 in convertible debt from All On, $25,000 in grant capital from USADF, and $25,000 in grant capital from All On via its support from the Rockefeller Foundation through the All On Hub.

In addition, the winners will receive technical assistance from USADF and the All On Hub and governance support from the firm

The winners of the fourth edition of the Challenge are A1 Power Technologies, Alabaster Agro-Allied Industries, Bols N Sels Technologies and CeeSolar Energy.

Others are: Elvees Engineering, Enercity Smart Grid, First Electric, GreenPower Overseas, Manamuz Electric, Novel Integrated Services, PowerStove Off-Grid Electricity, Sendavis Nigeria Limited, and Uwana Energy.

In a congratulatory message, President and Chief Executive Officer of USADF, Travis Adkins, stated that all the winners have entered a unique club of innovative Nigerian enterprises.

“We extended the off-Grid energy challenge partnership till December 2022 and are happy to see that this cohort has the largest number of winners since the programme was initiated and a tremendous opportunity to benefit an estimated 16,000 people, including 4,000 smallholder farmers, through clean energy,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer, All On, Mr. Wiebe Boer, said: “We remain extremely encouraged that the challenge is still able to fund another cohort of strong winners in spite of a continued challenging Covid environment.

“These emerging indigenous companies have proven that they have what it takes to succeed, and we are confident that their innovations will contribute to solutions that will ultimately improve livelihoods and local economies in Nigeria.”

Eight of the 13 winning enterprises include women in leadership roles. Another key feature of the 2021 edition of the challenge is a focus on integrating productive-use elements with cleaner energy access technologies to improve the quality of the lives and businesses in the selected communities the projects will serve.

The annual challenge is a multi-year partnership that identifies and helps scale innovative off-grid solutions to “power up” unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.

It is delivered through a five-year partnership between USADF, a founding member of the US-led Power Africa Initiative and an independent US government agency established by congress to support and invest in African-owned and led enterprises.
Source: This Day