Sele Odigie: Eiry Energy Targets Electricity for All, Being Energy Equipment Production Hub

Sele Odigie is a seasoned business executive and entrepreneur with deep roots in the energy sector. As a visionary, he has dedicated his career to solving some of Africa’s most pressing energy challenges. CEO of Eiry Energy, he leads efforts to bridge Nigeria’s electricity gap, create job opportunities, and position Nigeria as a global player in the product development of renewable energy solutions. With a wealth of experience and a profound commitment to renewable energy, Odigie is positioning Nigeria as a powerhouse in the global energy market. In this interview, Odigie explains his approach to sustainable energy, Eiry Energy’s mission, and why Eiry Energy has become synonymous with cutting-edge technology, quality, and customer service. Excerpts:

What inspired the establishment of Eiry Energy?

Nigeria’s electricity situation has always been close to my heart. For years, we saw subpar solutions—low-quality products flooding the market and exorbitant costs for the good ones, which were all imported and didn’t meet Nigeria’s unique needs, particularly ‘cohabiting with our notorious NEPA’. It was clear that we needed a solution tailor-made for Nigerians—something robust, efficient, and compatible with the NEPA grid. Eiry Energy was founded to fill this gap. We offer robust solutions tailored for the Nigerian environment, ensuring reliability and superior service. Our systems can handle NEPA surges and over-voltages and operate efficiently with or without grid power.

View of a 13 apartment complex in Abuja with Eiry Energy PowerPacks in each apartment

The cost of living crisis has surged, especially in Nigeria. How is Eiry Energy helping citizens navigate these challenging times?

The cost of living crisis is indeed challenging, especially with solar home systems, which come with upfront costs. To ease the burden, we offer deferred payment plans to help customers adopt solar systems without immediate financial strain. Additionally, the costs of renewable energy components—batteries, inverters, and panels—are coming down, so this is an opportune time to invest in a solar system and benefit from long-term savings and energy stability. Over time, solar systems provide financial relief by locking in electricity prices and reducing exposure to fluctuating energy prices. Lastly, we’re actively engaged in public education, helping communities adopt more energy-efficient lifestyles and better understand electricity consumption.

Deluxe Eiry Energy PowerPack 780

How does Eiry Energy stand out in the alternative power solutions market?

It comes down to three pillars: technology, quality, and service. We’ve introduced solutions to the market that most people didn’t even know were possible. We offer Swiss-designed solutions tailored for Nigeria. For example, our systems protect household appliances from NEPA surges and allow full utilization of grid power without needing load separation or bypasses. In terms of quality, we match global standards with components from top suppliers like CATL, which is used by Tesla and BMW. They’re assembled in Lagos under stringent quality controls, often with third-party oversight. Our service ethos ensures customer satisfaction through proactive, empathetic support. We pride ourselves on quick response times, proactive support, and always putting customers first.

Eiry Energy PowerPack 780 Main with two Extensions

One thing Eiry Energy champions is local production. Why is this important to you?

Local production is crucial for two reasons. First, it creates employment opportunities in Nigeria. By assembling our products here, we’re generating jobs that would otherwise go to countries like China, Germany, or Italy. And these aren’t just jobs—they’re highly skilled roles fostering long-term employment security. Secondly, domestic production positions Nigeria as a global player in renewable energy. For instance, at Eiry Energy, we’re already exporting our PowerPacks to markets as far as the UK and more locally in countries like Cameroon, with plans to expand further.

In addition, product development for Nigeria enables us to influence designs that solve Nigeria’s unique problems as a primary objective, such as cohabiting with NEPA, as opposed to having something imported and not designed for Nigeria, which would not last well when connected to the NEPA grid.

Eiry Energy PowerPack 560 Main, with two Extensions

What is the most challenging project Eiry Energy has handled so far?

One of our most complex projects was in the UK, where we developed a containerized off-grid solution for a mini-grid with an output capacity of 120kVA and storage capacity of 480kWh. This site is completely disconnected from the national grid in the UK. Managing an off-grid site requires precision and innovation. This project pushed us to innovate at every level, and the successful outcome showcased our capability to handle large-scale, sophisticated solutions. We not only built a system that met expectations, but our customers were thoroughly impressed and have now become our promoters.

Eiry Product BB 4 (1)

You’ve painted a compelling vision for Nigeria’s energy future. What’s next for Eiry Energy?

We’re guided by a two-fold mission. First, we aim to make electricity accessible to everyone—in homes, offices, and factories. This means building practical, sustainable energy solutions tailored to Nigeria’s unique needs while ensuring affordability and reliability. Second, we want to position Nigeria as a global hub for energy equipment production. Just like Afrobeats and Nollywood have become cultural exports, we believe Nigeria can produce world-class renewable energy products for export globally. By becoming experts in this field and solving our local problems, we can create products and services that address international markets. Eiry Energy is deeply committed to this vision, and we’re making strategic investments to help realize it. Expanding our exports, building a strong pipeline of innovative solutions, and continuing to support local employment growth are all part of what’s next for us.

Eiry Energy PowerPack 560 Main, with two Extensions