Professor Chindu Nebo, minister of Power and his counterpart in the Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, on Monday described as iconic, the moves by Nigeria’s integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Omatek Ventures Plc, to address Nigeria’s lingering electricity supply challenge through deployment of solar (technology) solutions to reduce power consumption in Nigeria by as a much as 85%.

Giving credence to the relevance and efficacy of the solutions during the unveiling in Lagos, Nebo said that Omatek has demonstrated the heartbeat of the present administration in tackling the perennial power challenge through alternate power sources and distribution.

The Power Minister said,  “This kind of initiative makes it possible to live off-grid and this means you don’t need to be connected to the national grid before you can get efficient power supply to handle your home, office and industrial activities.

“Omatek has also demonstrated in line with Federal Government Policy. President Goodluck Jonathan has asked us to develop a renewable and energy efficiency policy which is at the final stage of implementation, we only the President’s approval to go ahead with the implementation.  With the implementation, we believe it is something that will liberate Nigeria.

“Nigeria has never had a renewable and energy efficiency policy and what Omatek has demonstrated here in terms of solar power supply and LED indicate that they know exactly what the government wants to do because this imitative is perfectly in tandem with the policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Nebo said that with regards to LED bulb, Omatek has shown that everyone, not just companies, every Nigeria can cut power consumption by anywhere from 70 to 90 per cent.

“In other words, if your electricity in a month is N10,000, you can reduce to N3000 if you use LED bulb  and this bulb conserves a lot of electricity. For a hundred watts of regular bulb, if you have a five watts of LED, it will serve you the same purpose, give you the same luminosity so at the end of the day, the whole country would benefit and what we are saying is this: If the whole of the country put LED in use, it will free us 1,200 megawatt of power for industry, manufacturing, SME and industrial revolution will further boom.

“So, this is a clarion call to all Nigerians to begin the process of modification of making all our offices LEDified, all homed lEDified. In fact, new housing estate shouldn’t get approval until they demonstrate that they will use LED all through because that is the only way we can save a lot of energy we waste a lot in this country. So, we should start doing the right thing now.

“Another of looking at it from the LED and conservation of LED is that when you free up 1, 200 megawatts of electricity for real-time good use- industrial, productive manufacturing functional use is like building a power plant. That kind of power plant would cost about half a trillion Naira and that is what you save and that is for the power plant. When that now comes down, it has multiplier effect”.

The event also witnessed the commissioning of the 12watts, 20 watts, 500 watts power solutions that replace the “I better pass my neighbour generator”, for small homes, shops, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), churches, rural electrification and rural system, street lighting implementation, schools and so son for students, farmers  among others.

According to the Minister, “we just commissioned is a home solution, whether it is small home, kiosk solution, shop solution, SME and big solution. It is solar powered light integrated with Inverter, The days of ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators are numbered. ‘I better pass my neighbour’generators kill. Many lives have died. But with this new solar inverter integrated unit, one can get 24/7 power supply without having to use any fuel- no petrol, no diesel, no kerosene, no candle, nothing.

“You can light up your home with that and for bigger homes, you can get 500 watts, you can do a lot more things. But with 3 kilowatts, you can power your refrigerator, you fans and maybe, air condition. If you now move up to 10 kilowatts, that is for SME. I don’t see why evey SME cannot benefit from 10 kilowatt solution because it will solve all your power challenges as small business. Then, if you are a bigger ones, you can now move up t 50 kilowatts solution we have commissioned all these today.

“We thank Omatek for showing the way for Nigeria to follow in addressing its power challenge. We are actually at a point of a new era for the country where we would launch Nigeria into an industrial revolution.”

Also, Dr. Omobola Johnson, in her remarks during a visit to Omatke Factory said,  “I commend the management of Omatek for this initiative. We would continue to come up with policy that can help support your business through our local content initiative.

“More importantly, we urge Omatek to continue in its two lines of business: Computer assembly and solar technology solutions as the two are key to bridging digital divide and ensuring energy consumption efficiency in the country respectively.”
 
Already, Omatek, known for its innovations, has commissioned its 50KVA 3-phase off-grid solar solution factory that will represent the solar solution for factories, banks, telecoms firms, government and other organisations that require big power installations.
 
Off-grid solutions, on-grid solutions as well as LED bulbs were also displayed at the event, at Omatek factory at Oregun in Ikeja, and well attended by key stakeholders from the private sector who earlier in the day carried out facility tour of the Solar Installations implemented by Omatek at the Greenwood School, Corona and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
 
Addressing the large audience that graced the event, Mrs Florence Seriki, chief executive officer, Omatek, said “These are all-in-one installations assembled locally and packed with Omatek’s solar, inverter, battery, controller in all-in-one carton and cane be self-installed.
 
“Omatek Solar Solution, which is a hybrid solution that provides 24 hours lighting/power Solution by use of our solar-led bulb-inverter hybrid solution; whilst providing 70 – 90 per cent cut/deduction in power consumption and drastically reducing power consumption by an average of 85 per cent on the overall grid; thus enhancing growth in the real sector and general economic development”.
 
According to her, “We have installed these solutions in schools, homes, offices and factories and proud to inform you that the education sector welcomed not just provision of power and green energy, the hostels and all reading areas have 24 hours lighting and this bridges the digital gap in our schooling system, as students had stopped reading in darkness.”
 
She also explained that, already, Omatek has almost completed the setup and the establishments of two local factories that will manufacture solar panels and the LED bulbs, saying only the all-in-one solutions are currently being produced locally.
 
Capturing key benefits inherent in the solar solutions, Seriki explained that the solutions “provides 24-hours alternate power/green energy for businesses, homes; provides 24-hour lighting solution to all; provides 24 hour solar energy and lighting solution for students, hostels, SMEs, homes, hostels, SMEs, small homes, shops; reduces power consumption by an average of 85 per cent by all; and well as providing affordable solar solution for continuous/uninterrupted lighting system.”
 
In addition, Seriki said the solar solution promotes safe and clean environment; reduces in fire risk by use of the LED solution and materials particularly used as well as bridging digital gap in the education system and enhance modern living and reduces cost of living and running businesses considerably.
 
“The Omatek LED bulbs will not require replacement for three to five years whilst the solar will last 25 years.  Duration of the batteries are for five to 10 years,” she added. ‎