Solar electricity: MTN steps up drive, partners Lumos

MTN and Lumos today announce their commitment to further expand their service across Katsina state.

They hope to provide accessible electricity to thousands of homes and businesses across the state.

Expansion to Katsina began earlier this year with hundreds of customers already enjoying 24/7 electricity. 

The announcement took place at the Katsina State Economic and Investment Summit 9th – 12th May 2016 in the presence of His Excellency President Muhamadu Buhari.

MTN and Lumos join the dots between the mobile phone revolution and solar energy. 

Together they are making modern electricity available to millions of Nigerians through reliable smart solar systems.

They offer electricity as a service paid through MTN mobile phones.

It is marketed as the MTN Mobile Electricity, and is available at MTN stores.

The MTN-Lumos Smart Solar Solution enables Nigerian households and small business across Nigeria to replace expensive, dangerous and noisy generators as well as candles and flashlights.

 They are replaced with modern solar electricity that can power DC electronic devices such as LED lights, cellphones, fans, computers, TVs (all at once, every day).

The MTN-Lumos solar solution includes a large solar panel linked to an indoor storage unit.

It allows customers to access significant amounts of power on-demand, day or night. 

The service is provided on a lease to own basis, and the cost is spread over a 5-year term.

It is payable in affordable payments via mobile phone from an MTN airtime account. 

Customers receive a full product warranty during the lease period, providing peace of mind and quality assurance.

Existing customers include not only residential users but also empowers small business, healthcare facilities, community buildings and schools.

“We are very excited about this major milestone.

“[It] will enable us to accelerate our growth in Northern Nigeria and improve the lives of thousands of Nigerian homes and businesses,” said Yuri Tsitirnbaum, CEO at Lumos Nigeria. 

“Together with MTN, we are committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to address power access challenges.

“[We] pledge to increase our contribution to spreading clean energy solutions that will impact the lives of millions of Nigerians living off-grid”.

Lumos is the world’s first distributed utility provider, bringing affordable, modern and clean electricity to communities that have been living off the grid.  

Lumos joins the dots between the mobile payment revolution and solar energy.

This it does through its patented, self-deployable mobile energy system, with integrated cellular payment and advanced security mechanisms. 

With Lumos, households in the off-grid world can replace kerosene and candles with modern electricity.

It can that can power lights, cellphones, fans, computers, TVs and other small electronic devices (all at once, every day).

And all for the same cost spent today on kerosene on a lease to own basis, purchased via the mobile phone.

Funso Aina