Key Points
- 100 MSMEs trained under a programme promoting solar adoption.
- Participants to be linked with financing providers to acquire solar systems.
- Organisers say poor financial records limit MSMEs’ access to credit.
- SMEDAN and lenders encourage businesses to adopt solar to cut energy costs.
Main Story
No fewer than 100 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have received training and financing support under a programme aimed at helping businesses switch from petrol and diesel generators to solar energy.
The Country Director of Solar Sister Nigeria, Ms Chioma Ome, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the three-day ZE-GEN MSME Solar Adoption Programme.
Ome said the initiative was designed to help small businesses address unreliable electricity supply while improving their productivity and reducing the cost of running generators.
She said the participating businesses, which include fashion and tailoring enterprises, hair salons, cold-storage operators and agricultural processors, were trained in two batches of 50.
Ome said the programme was targeting at least 70 per cent solar adoption among the participating businesses.
She explained that interested businesses would be connected with microfinance institutions and other financing providers to enable them purchase solar systems and repay the cost over periods ranging from 18 months to two years.
She said the programme also sought to help entrepreneurs understand the wider cost of relying on generators, including fuel, maintenance and potential health risks associated with emissions.
Ome called for stronger cooperation between government, private organisations and development partners to expand access to clean energy financing for MSMEs.
Eessy Adjoring, Manager of Operations at Anfani Energy Ltd., said the programme was being implemented in partnership with Solar Sister Nigeria, with the Carbon Trust facilitating the project and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) providing support.
She said the initiative was designed to address a major gap in solar adoption by connecting businesses with actual financing opportunities rather than limiting the programme to awareness and training.
Adjoring identified poor financial preparedness as one of the factors preventing MSMEs from accessing credit.
She advised business owners to register their enterprises with the Corporate Affairs Commission, maintain proper accounts, meet their tax obligations and keep records showing their cash flow and profitability.
According to her, lenders need evidence that businesses can generate sufficient returns to repay financing and that adopting solar would improve their operations.
Dr Funto Babarude, Assistant Director at SMEDAN, also urged MSMEs to adopt solar energy, saying it could lower operating costs, reduce losses and improve productivity.
She said financing opportunities were available through SMEDAN’s growth fund, the Bank of Industry, microfinance banks and the Bank of Agriculture.
Babarude stressed that entrepreneurs seeking funding needed to demonstrate their turnover, cash flow, profitability and business plans.
A representative of LAPO Microfinance Bank, Mr Segun Williams, said the bank was prepared to finance solar installations for businesses across different sectors.
Williams said financing could be tailored to the capacity and requirements of individual businesses, with facilities potentially reaching N100 million or N150 million for qualifying enterprises.
He added that LAPO’s presence across several states would allow businesses outside Abuja to access its financing services.
One of the beneficiaries, Comrade Ali Paul, Chairman of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, FCT Council, said the programme addressed a major challenge facing businesses.
Paul said unreliable electricity had resulted in delayed services and lost business opportunities, while rising petrol prices and generator maintenance costs had increased operating expenses.
He said adopting solar energy could help businesses reduce their energy costs and improve service delivery.
The Issues
High energy costs and unreliable electricity remain significant challenges for MSMEs. While solar can reduce dependence on generators, the upfront cost of installing systems can prevent small businesses from making the transition. The programme is therefore combining technical awareness with financing options.
What’s Being Said
“Solar energy provides a more reliable and less stressful alternative.” – Chioma Ome, Country Director, Solar Sister Nigeria
“It is one thing to preach adoption and another to actually help businesses adopt these solutions.” – Eessy Adjoring, Manager of Operations, Anfani Energy Ltd.
“Financiers want to see evidence that a business is profitable and capable of repaying the financing.” – Eessy Adjoring, Manager of Operations, Anfani Energy Ltd.
What’s Next
The participating MSMEs are expected to be linked with financing providers to facilitate the acquisition of solar systems. Organisers and stakeholders are also calling for broader financing support to enable more small businesses to transition to clean energy.
Bottom Line
The programme is seeking to remove two major barriers to MSME solar adoption: lack of knowledge and lack of affordable financing. Its success will depend on whether participating businesses can secure funding and convert the training into actual solar installations.
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