Agro-renewables key to food security, economic growth –Elektron boss

Agro-renewables can unlock agricultural productivity, reduce losses, and drive sustainable economic growth in Nigeria, the Project Manager at Elektron Renewables, Sianny Ayodele, tells OKECHUKWU NNODIM in this interview

Now would you describe Nigeria’s renewable energy story currently?

Nigeria’s renewable energy story is very exciting right now. It has shifted from talking about the impact of renewable energy solutions to real implementation. For a long time, it seemed to be a topic everyone agreed was important, yet very few projects were actually being executed. Today, we are seeing real systems powering industries, supporting markets, and transforming communities. There is also strong private sector participation, and government frameworks are making projects more viable and scalable. What is even more encouraging is how business owners are now seeing clean energy as an economic and operational decision. They are seeing reduced losses, improved productivity, and better competitiveness because of reliable power.

We are also seeing new innovations in how renewable energy is being applied. Productive-use equipment is helping farmers work more efficiently, mini-grids are powering commercial clusters and communities, and storage systems are stabilising operations for businesses. We are still in the early stages of Nigeria’s renewable journey, but the impact on the ground is already evident. That is why I often say renewable energy is quietly becoming Nigeria’s “new oil” in a practical sense, because it is becoming a catalyst for productivity and growth. The more reliable power we deploy, the more Nigeria earns, builds, and feeds itself.

You’ve spoken before about Nigeria’s paradox — abundant sunlight and yet persistent hunger. Why does that disconnect matter so much?

It matters because we are not leveraging a resource that should be solving the very problem it is making worse. The same sun that gives Nigeria so much potential is also ruining food that should be feeding people. Tomatoes dry out in the open, fruits spoil faster under intense heat, and fish and poultry go bad long before they reach consumers. When sunlight becomes a threat instead of a resource, we have a problem. The real issue is not that Nigeria cannot grow enough food; it is that we lack the systems and structures to store, cool, process, or transport what we grow. Farmers lose income, traders lose profit, and families pay more for food because so much of it is wasted before it ever reaches them.

But if we power agriculture properly with cold rooms, milling, processing, and reliable logistics, food will reach homes instead of spoiling on the road or in markets. That is why the disconnect matters. Energy is not just about electricity; it is about nutrition, livelihoods, and economic survival.

The term ‘agro-renewables’ is becoming more common. What does it really mean in practice?

Agro-renewables simply means using clean energy to power everything from farm to market. It includes irrigation, drying, processing, milling, storage, cooling, transportation, and even the retail markets where food is sold. The goal isn’t to just install solar panels. The goal is to increase production for farmers, reduce losses for traders, keep processors working year-round, and make food more affordable for households. When agriculture has reliable energy, the whole value chain benefits. Agro-renewables are really about food security and economic growth made possible by sustainable and reliable power.

We’ve seen promising renewable solutions across agriculture and commercial/community clusters. Why hasn’t this transformation scaled faster?

Now that the technology behind renewable energy has been mastered, we are learning how to scale the ecosystem around it. To scale renewable energy projects effectively, we need strong developer expertise, investors who understand the realities of the market, reliable off-takers, and supportive regulation. Those pieces are only just starting to align in Nigeria. The good thing is that each project teaches us valuable lessons, such as how to structure financing, protect revenue, aggregate demand, and measure impact beyond electricity supply. These lessons take time, and the industry is still young, but we’re starting to see a shift.

Investors are beginning to adapt their due diligence processes to local realities instead of copying Western models. Government agencies like the Rural Electrification Agency are developing frameworks that increase private sector participation with strong incentives. And developers are designing solutions with scaling in mind from day one. So yes, growth has been slow, but every strong foundation takes time to build. As these pieces continue to come together, I believe the pace of scaling will look very different over the next five to 10 years.

Where do Elektron Energy and Elektron Renewables fit in this story?

Elektron sits at the intersection of reliability and sustainability. For more than a decade, we’ve developed energy infrastructure that powers industries, communities, and commercial clusters. We’ve always believed reliable power is not just a service; it is an economic strategy. When businesses can depend on energy, they produce more, hire more, and contribute more to the economy. The same is true for everyday people when they have reliable power.

That is why Elektron Renewables was created. It is the same mission, delivered through cleaner and commercially viable systems. We know Nigeria cannot move from heavy diesel reliance to 100 per cent renewables overnight. We need power that works now and can transition with the economy. So our work brings together what the country needs today, which is gas for stable baseload, solar for cost savings, and mini-grids that help communities and markets grow. At the end of the day, the goal is productivity. When a market can store produce, when a factory runs without interruption, and when a community can unlock commercial activity, energy turns into economic development. For us, developing power projects is not just about electricity; it is about enabling productivity, because productivity drives national growth.

The climate crisis is reshaping food and energy systems globally. How do renewables fit into Nigeria’s resilience strategy?

Renewables give us a chance to build resilience from the ground up. When you power agriculture with clean and reliable energy, you achieve more than reduced emissions. You increase productivity, protect food systems, and strengthen local economies. You start to see resilience in everyday life. Food reaches the table instead of being wasted in transit, income doesn’t disappear overnight from spoilage, jobs become more stable, and communities can adapt to climate shocks without falling apart. Renewable energy supports all of this. It creates work for young people, empowers women who lead much of food processing and trading, and gives farmers real control over their livelihoods.

In a country as vulnerable as Nigeria, renewables aren’t a buzzword or a nice technology to have. They are a foundation for dignity and economic survival.

Looking ahead, what gives you confidence in Nigeria’s renewable energy future?

What gives me confidence is that we’re building the systems that make renewable energy easier to scale. We are moving beyond one-off projects and starting to see more structured partnerships, clearer financing frameworks, and stronger collaboration between developers, investors, and government agencies. Policy is also increasingly playing a stronger role. We are beginning to see clearer frameworks that encourage private participation and allow independent developers to operate more confidently. When policy lowers barriers, improves permitting, makes financing accessible, and supports both grid-connected and off-grid solutions, communities and businesses are better able to build resilience.

And then there’s technology. Tools like data and AI are being used to forecast demand and design systems more accurately, making projects easier to finance because risks are clearer from the start. So scaling doesn’t have to feel like trial and error anymore. So yes, there is still work to do, but there is also a clearer direction. Nigeria’s renewable future looks promising because we’re putting the right pieces in place. If we continue with urgency, alignment, and enabling policies, this transition will not just be cleaner; it will make Nigeria more productive and competitive.