Female-led solar manufacturing in Nigeria receives $1.3 million investment, aiming for expansion from Salpha Energy.
**Salpha Energy: Empowering Communities Through Local Solar Solutions**
In the heart of Nigeria, Salpha Energy, a female-led clean energy startup, is making waves in the renewable energy sector. Operated by Sandra Chukwudozie, Salpha Energy stands out as the only solar home system assembly firm in Sub-Saharan Africa, setting a precedent for local manufacturing and community impact.
With a local assembly model, Salpha Energy maintains control over product design and quality, ensuring that their solar solutions meet the specific needs of off-grid Africans. This approach not only boosts productivity but also restores dignity to those living without reliable electricity. To date, Salpha Energy's solar solutions have impacted over two million people, and the company aims to extend this access to more households and small businesses in underserved communities.
Recently, Salpha Energy secured a significant investment of $1.3 million from All On, an impact investment firm supported by Shell. This funding will support the expansion of Salpha Energy's solar assembly activities, enable the broadening of its product range, and strengthen its domestic manufacturing capabilities. All On's CEO, Caroline Eboumbou, structured the investment in local currency to mitigate exchange rate risks in Nigeria's clean energy sector.
The investment provides the support needed for Salpha Energy to scale while remaining true to its core mission. Salpha Energy's focus on localisation is crucial in advancing local manufacturing across Africa, as it creates employment opportunities and fosters economic growth.
ElleSolaire, another female-led clean energy startup based in Senegal, is also making strides in the region. Known for its Women Saving 4 Resilience (WS4R) program, ElleSolaire trains women entrepreneurs and provides working capital for clean energy distribution in rural areas. By leveraging the unique position of women as primary energy managers in rural households, ElleSolaire promotes clean energy adoption effectively.
Despite the challenges faced by female-led startups in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as funding barriers, scalability constraints, energy access issues, and gender-specific barriers, companies like Salpha Energy and ElleSolaire demonstrate that local manufacturing and community-focused approaches can drive both clean energy adoption and gender empowerment in the region.
Salpha Energy (operated by Sandra Chukwudozie) is planning to broaden its product range utilizing the investment from All On, incorporating technology such as advanced solar systems tailored for sports and weather conditions in off-grid Africa, to enhance productivity and overall quality of life. Meanwhile, ElleSolaire, another female-led clean energy startup, envisions introducing smart weather-resistant sports lighting as part of its Women Saving 4 Resilience (WS4R) program, aiming to empower rural women entrepreneurs and promote clean energy technology in sports within Senegal.
