Geniserve Limited has installed a solar-powered energy system at the newly launched Ilorin Innovation Hub in Kwara State, a move expected to save billions of naira annually on energy costs, according to the company's Chief Executive Officer, Gbenga Adegbiji.

The solar-powered facility, supported by IHS Towers and managed by Geniserve, is designed to operate entirely on renewable energy, aligning with Nigeria's growing shift towards sustainable and cost-effective power solutions.

Speaking to The PUNCH , Adegbiji stated that the system will significantly reduce the hub's reliance on grid electricity, resulting in substantial financial savings and a marked decrease in carbon emissions. The initiative reflects broader efforts to promote green energy adoption in commercial and industrial sectors across the country.

“The entire facility is designed to operate on solar energy, even with air conditioners and other appliances running. The air conditioners installed are inverter types, which consume less energy, making the hub highly energy-efficient,” Adegbiji said.

The solar-powered Ilorin Innovation Hub is expected to serve as a collaborative space for startups and entrepreneurs, offering a sustainable energy model that could inspire similar projects across the country.

IHS Nigeria, which co-developed the facility and oversees its operations, is collaborating with Co-Creation Hub and Future Africa to implement a suite of programmes aimed at equipping entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses with critical digital skills, funding opportunities, and mentorship.

“This marks another critical milestone in IHS' efforts to improve the lives of people in our operating communities by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and overall wealth creation in Nigeria,” the Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria, Mohamad Darwish, said in a statement.

He continued, “As Nigeria's backbone of digital possibilities and an enabler of mobile connectivity, we believe this hub will create opportunities for millions of Nigerians with brilliant ideas looking for the facilities, training, expertise, mentorship, and funding support to turn their ideas into viable businesses. Businesses that will contribute to the overall socio-economic upliftment of Kwara State and Nigeria more broadly.”