WACEE:  Consistent Power Supply Can  Increase  Farmers’ Income By 40%, Says Brackmann

Reliable electricity could increase farmers’ income by up to 40% in Nigeria, Chief Executive Officer of EnergiseImpact Group, Ulf Brackmann, has said, underscoring  the impact of stable power on agriculture and small businesses.

He said this at the West African Clean Energy and Environment (WACEE), held on March 17 and 18 at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island. Ulf Brackmann noted that  access to consistent electricity, particularly through solar-powered solutions, can significantly reduce post-harvest losses and improve returns for farmers.

He  stated that  the lack of storage and cooling infrastructure is causing significant losses of agricultural produce, limiting farmers’ income despite their output.

“When industrial power reaches a community, everything changes,” he said. “Welders work full days instead of a few hours, cold chains keep harvests fresh, shops stay open into the evening, and farmers irrigate using solar power instead of diesel.”

According to him, reliable electricity not only preserves farm produce but also enables on-site processing, allowing farmers to capture more value rather than losing profits to intermediaries or external processors.

“Farmers do the hard work, but others capture the value,” he said, stressing the need to localise processing to retain income within rural communities.

Brackmann added that improved power supply would also unlock growth for small and medium-sized enterprises, many of which operate below capacity due to unreliable electricity.

He stated that  inconsistent power supply makes it difficult for businesses to plan operations, meet demand, or employ workers, as many can only operate for limited hours daily.

However, with round-the-clock electricity, businesses can scale production, improve efficiency, and expand their workforce.

He further noted that despite growing awareness of renewable energy, many Nigerian households and businesses continue to rely on diesel generators due to poor grid supply, effectively paying what he described as a “hidden diesel tax” that cuts into profit margins.

While investor interest in Africa’s renewable energy sector remains strong, Brackmann said many projects struggle to attract large-scale funding due to their fragmented nature.

“Too many projects are isolated, 500 kilowatts here, one megawatt there, with different contracts and risks,” he said, noting that such structures make them unattractive to institutional investors.

He said  that several mini-grid projects across the continent have failed due to poor planning, unsuitable technology, or lack of maintenance, further weakening investor confidence.

To address this, he called for the aggregation of smaller projects into larger, standardised portfolios that can attract financing and reduce risk. He also emphasised the need to design energy solutions around clear revenue streams, particularly in agriculture and small-scale industries.