Lead Organisation: Centre for Energy Equality (CEE, Warrington, UK)
Partners: PAM Africa (Nigeria), Moonlight Energy (London, UK), Tree Associates (Norfolk, UK), Standard Microfinance Bank (Nigeria)
Region: Nigeria
Led by the Centre for Energy Equality (CEE), in partnership with PAM Africa, Moonlight Energy, Tree Associates and Standard Microfinance Bank, this project will deploy Africa’s largest grid‑integrated battery‑swap hub in Kano, northern Nigeria. The hub combines large‑scale solar generation with shared battery storage and e‑mobility, delivering clean, reliable power for local businesses and transport services.
Building on earlier ZE‑Gen‑supported R&D pilots, Phase 3 will demonstrate how this Kano‑based hub can operate at commercial scale — reducing reliance on fossil fuel generators, supporting productive‑use businesses and strengthening local energy systems. The project will also test new ownership and financing models, creating a blueprint that can be replicated across Nigeria and other emerging markets.
Gemma Sutherland, Director of Global Impact, Centre for Energy Equality, said:
“We’re thrilled to be taking the Solar Battery Hub into the final phase of the ZE-Gen Accelerator. Over the course of the programme, we’ve taken a nascent idea, piloted it, and are now demonstrating it at scale.
With ZE-Gen’s support, we’re launching the first grid-integrated battery swap hub in sub-Saharan Africa, giving businesses and transport providers access to clean, reliable power without the need for diesel generators.
This venture is about extending reliable, affordable energy to the last mile, reaching underserved communities that are currently locked out of consistent power. That sits at the heart of our mission at the Centre for Energy Equality.”