MOPO, a UK-based clean energy technology company backed by Octopus Energy Group, is embarking on a new partnership with Nigeria for a $75 million battery deployment plan. The initiative aims to roll out 250,000 portable, solar-charged batteries across Nigeria, significantly expanding access to clean and reliable energy in a country where grid access is often unstable or non-existent. This move is expected to alleviate reliance on costly and environmentally damaging petrol generators, which are currently prevalent.
The partnership builds on MOPO's existing success in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Since its launch in 2017, MOPO has achieved over 25 million battery rentals, reaching a milestone of one million rentals per month. The company's proprietary batteries, available in compact MOPO50 for personal use and the larger MOPOMax for powering appliances and small businesses, are rented on a pay-per-use basis from solar-powered hubs managed by local technicians.
The $75 million investment will catalyze MOPO's expansion in Nigeria, one of its key markets. This investment follows recent funding including £1 million from Innovate UK via DESNZ and a $7 million investment in January from BII, the UK's development finance institution, specifically for accelerating services in DR Congo. Octopus Energy Group, which made a strategic investment in MOPO, emphasized that this partnership will be a significant step in providing green power to the 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa who currently lack reliable electricity.
This initiative also aligns with Octopus Energy's broader strategy to expand renewable energy access globally. The company recently launched its first African energy fund, with an initial $60 million and ambitions to mobilize $250 million over three years, targeting solutions like rooftop solar, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure. The partnership with Nigeria underscores a growing commitment from international energy firms and development institutions to foster sustainable electrification across Africa, creating green jobs and improving livelihoods.
