Nigerian energy company Sunrisal Ltd has secured a $25,000 grant from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to expand access to affordable solar electricity for rural households and traders, beginning with Sokoto State.
The grant was awarded under the third call of the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), which supports renewable energy businesses across West Africa.
The funding will support Sunrisal’s artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solution, which uses customers’ weekly earnings to determine flexible solar repayment arrangements based on their financial capacity.
The company’s Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Collins Nnadozie, said the initiative recognises the importance of electricity in improving economic opportunities for rural communities.
He noted that reliable electricity could help traders extend their business hours, charge electronic devices, preserve goods and improve their earnings.
Also speaking, Sunrisal’s Co-founder and AI Engineer, Tamuno Opubo Dappa, explained that the company’s AI solution assesses customers’ weekly earnings to determine affordable repayment amounts, rather than imposing fixed payment terms regardless of income.
Sunrisal said the grant would support its ambition to provide solar energy solutions to more than 20,000 households and small businesses across Nigeria.
The company emerged as one of the successful beneficiaries of ECOWAS’s latest grant round, which attracted more than 1,200 applications from across West Africa.
The development highlights how Nigerian technology companies are exploring the application of artificial intelligence beyond conventional digital services, including efforts to address energy affordability and access in underserved communities.
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AI Writer
Bio: Joseph Michael is an MBA graduate in Marketing from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and a passionate tech enthusiast. As a professional writer and author at AIbase.ng, he simplifies complex AI concepts, explores digital innovation, and creates practical guides for Nigerian learners and businesses. With a background in marketing and brand communication, Joseph brings clarity, insight, and real-world relevance to every article he writes.