Extending Solar Energy to Nigeria’s Vulnerable

Emmanuel Addeh writes that the decision of Azura, an independent power producer, to provide solar power to some of the most vulnerable Nigerians in both Edo and Abuja, may be worthy of emulation by other corporate entities in the country.

Nigeria still struggles with the provision of basic public utilities like electricity for its people. For most Nigerians, they have become their own ‘NEPA’, as it were, investing in their own power ‘infrastructure’.

Basically, Nigeria has become a dumping ground for generators, ranging from the most basic ones generally called ‘I better pass my neighbour’, usually purchased by the poor and then the more expensive ones used by businesses, the middle class and the upper class.

While those in those classes have managed to provide their own power, there’s a group of people, Nigeria’s most vulnerable, the underprivileged children in many of the orphanage homes littered all over the country, who do not have access to this basic amenity.

It was in recognition of this group of Nigerians that Azura Edo, recently said it began the investment to provide solar power for selected orphanages in the country. In the first instance, this has taken it to its host state, Edo and then its administrative headquarters, Abuja and even Maiduguri in Borno.

To this end, Azura Power, West Africa Limited, operators of the Edo Independent Power Producer (IPP), in the beginning of the year, announced that its annual financial deployment for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) throughout its areas of operations, has now hit $1 million.

Speaking in Abuja , the Managing Director of the company, Edu Okeke, stressed that the interventions are structured in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are geared towards improving health, education and the general livelihood of its communities.

Okeke, who spoke at one of the ceremonies during which Azura Power, presented a solar power facility to Facado Orphanage Home located in Apo, Abuja, stated that members of staff of the firm were also fully mobilised to celebrate the underprivileged children in the spirit of the festive season.

“In terms of the charter of the company, we devote $1 million yearly for these kind of activities. So, this is something that has been going on since inception and will continue for as long as this company is in existence,” Okeke added.

He noted that the event was going on simultaneously in Abuja and Benin where a a similar power facility was also presented to the Eghosa Orphanage home, stating that it will help the orphanage save the  cost of diesel which he said now sells for as high as N800 per litre.

“It will save them the heavy cost of diesel used in generating power,” he explained.

“Some of us are parents and when we look at what is happening here, it is not an easy job for the proprietors, because it’s difficult taking care of kids. But our prayer is that among them,  very soon some of them will be Azura employees.  So we going to have fun today and make the kids happy,” Okeke added.

In her remarks, the Founder and Director of the Facado Orphanage Home in Abuja, Ngozi George, said the electricity facility will improve the education of the kids as well as their health.

She stated that the joy of the children has been uncurbed since the solar power was installed, explaining that the orphanage never wrote to the firm before they decided to make enquiries and install the facility on their own volition.

“Now the cry that they can’t see their books and the lack of electricity which has also been a major cause of mosquitoes around here will also disappear. So, it will improve their health, education, even their entertainment,” she stated.

While commending Azura for the kind gesture, she said that it will be a boost to the quality of life which she said will automatically improve.

Azura-Edo power station, a natural gas-powered open cycle electricity generation plant, with a current operational capacity of 461 megawatts, located in Benin City in Nigeria.

The  children, several scores of them could not hide their joy.  Jesusboy Wealth, a nine-year-old boy, at the orphanage lauded the initiative, noting that children now have better lighting in the facility to read and be creative as the grid-connected power is epileptic.

In Benin City, the Azura team was at the Eghosa Orphanage Home where a 4kw solar power system was also installed as well as a snicker game held for the 58 children there to add to the fun.

The Chief Operating Officer, Nonyerem Obibuaku, who is also a former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Azura Power West Africa Limited,  representing the Managing Director at the event, noted that it was in line with the company’s commitment to giving back to the society.

“We have installed a 4kw solar panel for the home so that they can have light when there is power outage and use their appliances. As you can see, there is no electricity but they have electricity in this place,” she stated.

Azura said the intervention strategy in the key areas of the country’s national development is to integrate and give hope to the vulnerable persons in the society.

The orphanage’s proprietor, Eghosa Ikhueabor, commended the company for the donations and the impact of the stable electricity they now have.

The proprietor said: “We are very happy because of the solar power. For two days, there has been power outage but we are watching television while the fans, freezers and other appliances are still working.”

It wasn’t the first time and the activity was not one-off. Before then, Azura approved and implemented  projects  with provision of a learning centre tagged living and learning facility for displaced orphan children in Borno, amounting to $300,000 to supply solar power to vocational centres.

It had also upgraded the Ihovbhor primary school and employed qualified teachers with the objective of sending kids to tertiary institutions in partnership with Azura/Nathan American Academy for $320, 000.

Azura has further provided free eye surgery to host communities in Abuja and Edo at $100, 000 for 1,000 eye surgeries and set up the Gashaka National Park non profit organisation to ensure best practices in ecotourism and nature conservation in West and East Africa.

In an effort to develop life skills and raise awareness on issues such as HIV and malaria for underprivileged children using football as vehicle.