Shell-backed impact investment firm All On has celebrated its tenth anniversary by outlining a decentralized strategy to accelerate off-grid electrification across Nigeria. Over its first decade of operation, the organization successfully deployed catalytic capital to scale off-grid clean energy solutions, directly improving the livelihoods of nearly two million citizens in historically underserved rural and peri-urban communities.
At a high-level energy summit in Lagos, Caroline Eboumbou, CEO of All On, stated that sustainable infrastructure development requires a shift away from traditional project-by-project financing. Instead, the firm is pioneering an integrated market-building model that blends patient equity investments with technical assistance, early-stage venture backing, and domestic supply chain development.
The anniversary summit highlighted several key policy and operational developments for Nigeria’s energy transition:
-
Lagos Electricity Market Liberalization: Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Hon. Biodun Ogunleye, confirmed that the state is actively upgrading its sub-national regulatory framework. Following recent constitutional changes, Lagos is establishing a liberalized, investor-friendly electricity market designed to attract private-equity capital into alternative mini-grid networks.
-
Global Strategic Alignment: During a fireside panel, Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), noted that All On’s framework serves as an operational blueprint for Africa’s broader energy expansion. Independent data presented by global advisory firm Dalberg verified that blending commercial financing with regulatory advocacy yields measurable improvements in small business growth within sub-Saharan clean-tech sectors.
-
Focus on Localized Manufacturing: Looking toward the 2030 energy transition targets, industry leaders—including Muhammad Wakil of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and Sandra Dozie of Salpha Energy—emphasized that the next decade must prioritize the domestic manufacturing of solar components. Localizing production is critical to shield the sector from foreign exchange volatility and rising import logistics costs.
