Unreliable electricity supply remains a serious challenge in Nigeria and several other African countries. This is a significant pain point for communities and local businesses. Dismissively labeled “NEPA”(Never Expect Power Always) or “dumsor,” literally meaning “Off-On” in neighboring Ghana, these power failures have harmed economies in myriad ways for decades. But that seems about to change.
An innovative start-up, ICE Commercial Power, has deployed a promising solution to the problem. Launched in 2016, this company delivers electricity to small businesses, enabling them to survive in an otherwise challenging energy context. With the support of Microsoft and the US African Development Foundation, the company harnesses cutting-edge solar and other renewables to address Nigeria’s energy deficit. Core functionalities like smart metering and data-driven insights rely on AI technologies, particularly in data analytics and machine learning, which are integral to ICE Commercial Power’s operations. These capabilities enable the company to deliver reliable power to business customers, which puts very high premiums on consistent power to operate efficiently.
No longer do ICE customers have to depend on expensive backup generators. Access to reliable energy brings cost savings, allowing the real entrepreneurs among them to reinvest savings for business growth. For example, after signing up for ICE Commercial Power, one bakery in Lagos secured a 30% reduction in energy costs thanks to the AI-optimized power services it enjoyed. It subsequently scaled production and hired more staff.
ICE’s success has broader implications for Nigeria’s economy. Their customers can now ‘Expect Power Always,” positioning them as engines of economic growth long coveted by development economists and planners. Case studies from retail, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors highlight how ICE’s solutions drive productivity and create jobs.
Supportive government policies for innovative companies like ICE are needed. Incentives for clean energy technologies, AI research, infrastructure investments, and streamlined regulations for AI-powered startups come to mind. By establishing such an enabling environment, policymakers can exorcise the “NEPA,” “dumsor,” and similar nightmares local communities and businesses have suffered for so long. So terribly long!
ICE Commercial Power’s journey demonstrates the transformative potential of AI in addressing critical challenges. AI-powered enterprises like this could help local businesses and communities leapfrog past the thorny thickets of energy poverty toward brighter, sustainably powered futures in Nigeria and beyond.
