LAGOS — As Nigeria navigates its 2026 economic landscape, a quiet but powerful transformation is occurring in the nation’s “energy dark spots.” All On, the off-grid energy impact investor, has released a landmark Impact Report detailing how decentralized renewable energy is successfully bypassing the struggling national grid to power the engine of the Nigerian economy: its small businesses and rural communities.
Since its inception in 2016, All On has evolved from a startup financier into a systemic architect, moving nearly half of the country’s previously unserved population toward the goal of universal energy access.
Powering the “Productive Use” Economy
The most significant shift highlighted in the 2026 report is the transition from simple lighting to Productive Use of Energy (PUE). In communities like Aguobu-Iwollo, solar technology has moved beyond the home and into the fields.
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Agricultural Revolution: Women farmers are now utilizing solar-powered water pumps for cassava processing, significantly reducing manual labor and increasing output.
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SME Reliability: In the Egbèke community, entrepreneurs have traded the “deafening hum” of diesel generators for silent, solar-powered systems. The result? A measurable increase in revenue driven by zero fuel costs and 24/7 operational uptime.
The DART Effect: Cutting Costs by 50%
A major bottleneck for Nigerian solar developers has historically been the high cost of importing equipment. All On’s Demand Aggregation for Renewable Technology (DART) program has emerged as a game-changer.
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Bulk Procurement: By aggregating the needs of multiple developers, the program has reduced equipment procurement costs by as much as 50%.
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Affordability: These savings are passed directly to the end-user, making solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids competitive with—and often cheaper than—grid power or petrol.
Building an “Investment-Ready” Ecosystem
All On’s impact goes beyond the balance sheet. Through its Hub support, the organization has provided capacity-building to over 50 energy businesses. This includes:
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Technical Assistance: Training local engineers to maintain complex mini-grid systems.
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Market Insights: Providing data to help startups identify high-demand regions.
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Governance: Ensuring local firms meet global standards to attract international “conviction” capital.
The Road to 2030: Focus on the Niger Delta
While the foundation is laid, the “energy gap” remains a monumental challenge. Looking ahead to the remainder of 2026 and beyond, All On has signaled a strategic pivot toward underserved regions like the Niger Delta. The goal is to scale successful models—such as community-owned mini-grids—to ensure that clean energy is treated as a fundamental right rather than a luxury.
