Mobile Power has built an energy distribution platform “MOPO”, which successfully serves challenging markets, creates local employment, and provides financial and social returns. 

The platform offers customers a community-based, agent-led Battery-As-A-Service product that enables them rent 50Wh-1000Wh lithium-ion batteries for 24-hour periods.

“Nigeria is now our fastest growing market, and we are very excited for our partnership with All On which will accelerate growth in household energy and replacing urban generators,” said Chris Longbottom, Chief Executive Officer, Mobile Power Limited

Established in 2013, UK-headquartered Mobile Power began operations in Sierra Leone. It also operates in Liberia and entered the Nigerian market in 2021. In 2022 it is starting operations in DRC. In addition, it has strategic relationships deploying its products and services in other African markets like Uganda, Zambia, and The Gambia. 

Mobile Power’s business strategy is based on aggregating last-mile demand and optimising battery rentals in the communities where its MOPO agents are active. The business achieves this by embedding incentives into the product’s technology and pricing to influence agent and customer behaviour.

“This deal fully aligns with All On’s mission to support the deployment of innovative and user-friendly renewable energy solutions, particularly for Nigeria’s under-served and unserved markets.” said All On Acting CEO and Investment Manager, Afolabi Akinrogunde. “We look forward to continuing to work with the MOPO team to scale this model and provide commercially sustainable decentralized renewable power solutions to Nigerians.”

The MOPO offering removes the product acquisition challenge from the equation for potentially millions of unserved homes and micro businesses in Nigeria, empowering them to secure the energy they need, when they need it and for how long they need it.

All On, through the All On Hub, has been providing non-financial support to Mobile Power to support its Nigeria market entry since 2021. Mobile Power’s current hubs in Nigeria are in Ekiti State and Ondo State, South-western Nigeria, where it has deployed over 40 hubs, with 20,000 households and 1,000,000 rentals since it commenced operations in mid-2021 – one of the fastest energy access project deployment rates in the Nigerian offgrid energy space.

Mobile Power expects to roll out multiples of its current deployment numbers across Nigeria over the next year. The All On Investment will help power its ambitious pan-Nigerian deployment and expansion drive.

“We’re delighted to receive this support from All On that will reduce the cost of solar energy components through local manufacturing,” said Ogechukwu Uchechukwu, Co-founder and Head of Business Development, Greenage Technologies. “This investment will help Greenage realize its aim of becoming Africa’s largest solar electronics manufacturers by doubling its existing manufacturing capacity for inverters, charge controllers, and the possibility to assemble lithium-ion batteries.”

The investment which is a mix of equity and convertible debt will enable Greenage to expand its manufacturing business through the acquisition & development of a new factory and fund its working capital needs – enabling it to meet the increasing demand for locally manufactured solar systems components.

“We are proud to close another transaction to enhance the localization of the solar supply chain,” said All On CEO, Dr. Wiebe Boer. “Through this investment All On is lowering the proportion of solar components imported into Nigeria. This investment is at the core of our commitment to investing in youth-driven Nigerian companies like Greenage to accelerate the sector’s growth and contribute to closing the energy access gap.”

Greenage was a USADF/All On Off-Grid Energy Challenge winner in 2018, receiving $100,000 to fund the installation of solar systems in over 40 households and businesses.

This additional funding is an indication of All On’s growing confidence in the company’s vision to play an increasingly important role within the Nigerian renewable energy value chain as a manufacturer of solar energy system components.