03 September 2013, Abuja – Total Nigeria Plc has unveiled a range of three solar lamp products, which it said, is fundamental to providing access to electricity for over five percent off-grid households in Nigeria.
Presenting the products called Awango by Total in Abuja, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Francois Boussagol, said it was also in Total’s full dedication to creating real value for all its stakeholders in fulfilment of its socio-economic and environmental obligations.
According to Boussagol, Awango launch was also in the belief that energy is a fundamental necessity which greatly impacts access to education, communications, information and the overall development of individuals and societies.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that over 53 percent of the population (about five households) in Nigeria are off the grid and about 60 percent have no reliable access to electricity, and therefore rely on costly or even dangerous sources of energy.
“To promote the emergence of new energy solution, we, therefore, introduced the Total Access to Energy Programme, which acts as a project incubator to develop innovative, economically viable solutions to provide access to clean and sustainable energy for low income communities,” he informed.
To achieve this objective, he said Total strives to use the best available technologies by selecting suppliers according to stringent quality and safety criteria and also support them in a continuous product improvement process.
“Several pathways are being explored ranging from photovoltaic solar equipment to local marketing of associated gas solutions to address fuel poverty issues in OECD countries. They are a range of high quality, cost effective, portable solar lamps that offer bright lighting facilities,” he added.
The three launched products include: Awango by Total Sun King Solo, which comes with lighting and phone charging facilities, Awango by Total Sun King Pro, which, apart from lighting and phone charging facilities, also comes with additional touch light as well as Awango by Total Joulestick that beams with brightest rays of light.
“They are affordable and brighter than most commonly used lighting sources, such as kerosene lamps, candles and batteries, and in demonstration of our confidence in the line of products, we are offering a two-year warranty on the entire range of products and will replace any defective product that has not been damaged, through misuse, with a new product throughout the warranty period,” Boussagol promised.
Responding to a question on how the products could actually get to the target users in the remotest parts of the country, the Total MD elaborated, “We are leveraging on our existing Total service stations nationwide and partnership with local and international NGOs, cooperatives, door-to-door resellers, etc, to ensure product availability to the communities. In particular, Awango Sun King Solo and Sun King Pro products will be available in all Total service stations in Nigeria by September, 2013.”
He continued, “Our last mile strategy which is a corporate social responsibility is centered on building and setting up young entrepreneurs as solar dealers through a structured selection criterion, even as the pilot project is ongoing in Makurdi, Benue State capital.”
Added the company’s Chairman, Mr. Momar Nguer, “Total Nigeria Plc intends to become the everyday energy partner to improve the living standards of communities without reliable access to energy. We are therefore, dedicated and committed to facilitate clean and sustainable energy as we leave long-lasting and positive impacts on the lives of our people, business and environment.”
Applauding the company in her goodwill message, the Minister of State for Power, Hadjia Zainab Kuchi, said the new products would go a long way adding to the Federal Government’s quest for electrifying Nigeria soonest, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
She, however, urged its management to try as much as possible to ensure their prices are affordable by the dwellers which are the main target of the products.
– Onyeka-Ajumobi Onochie, Daily Newswatch
