Firm Targets Enhanced Electricity Supply with Solar System

Emma Okonji

Cloud Energy, Nigeria’s renewable energy solutions provider, has broken the jinx of poor electricity supply to Nigerians living in rural and semi urban communities with the launch of the SUNBOX Plus PAYGO Solar home system. 

Determined to reach the under-served in electricity supply, Cloud Energy and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), have commissioned an entry point facility designed to increase productivity, create employment, improve teaching and learning, while bringing about self-confidence and emancipation of Nigerians from electricity poverty. These Energy strategies were revealed by the Managing Director of Cloud Energy, Theophilus Nweke, while discussing renewable energy with the media at the launch.

The company has also commenced the deployment of 10,000 SUNBOX PAYGO Solar Home Systems in North Central Nigeria, in a project with the Rural Electrification Agency, designed to deploy tens of thousands of Home Systems in Nigeria starting from the North Central zone. 

Nweke noted that access to solar had been impaired by the inability of people living in the rural and semi-urban communities to purchase solar equipment out rightly. Therefore, Cloud Energy has created an affordable Pay-as-you-Go Solar home system that allows people in the rural areas to pay for electricity usage on a monthly basis – breaking the electricity bondage and setting Nigerians free from lack of electricity. 

People in the rural communities and semi urban communities can, with as little as  N2,500, depending on the package,  have access to electricity for a period of three years and subsequently own the equipment for life. According to Nweke, “The consumer installs and possesses the equipment with the payment of the subscription of N2, 500 and ownership is finally transferred to him on the completion of payment, after three years. The package affords every home user the opportunity to have three lighting point, a fan and a Radio the system can be upgraded to a model that can support a DC TV.”

To ensure that the product reaches every nook and cranny of the country Cloud Energy has developed a franchising model allowing entrepreneurs to join in the distribution of PayGo Solar products throughout the country. This model was received with delight in Kumbon Village in Plateau state and by hundreds of Cloud Energy SUNBOX PayGo subscribers. 

Giving more details, Nweke said the challenges in the electricity sector, called for the development of new competencies and adoption of new approaches. “We cannot expect new results doing the same old things. Patriotism must get a better hold of professionalism and indigenous companies:in the energy sector must break new grounds by building capacities for technology transfer and national development. 

Cloud Energy, Nweke also announced, has re-enforced its projects department through the establishment of a highly professional help desk that can be accessed online and offline.