Airtel Nigeria has revealed a plan to turn to solar energy as a cost-effective solution to power its telecom infrastructure amid rising diesel prices, which has pushed the company’s fuel costs to a staggering N28 billion.
The Director of Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, Femi Adeniran, disclosed this during a media roundtable in Lagos on Tuesday.
The telecom giant’s move towards renewable energy is part of a broader strategy to reduce operational expenses and enhance sustainability amidst Nigeria’s persistent energy challenges.
The development comes as the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, granted Airtel Nigeria licences to boost connectivity.
Airtel Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Harmanpreet Dhillon, said the company was exploring alternative energy options such as solar power.
This shift is aimed at addressing the challenges posed by Nigeria’s unreliable power supply, which currently forces telecom operators to rely heavily on diesel generators.
Recall that the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its latest data showed that the average price of diesel in August stood at N1406 per litre.
Nigerian Telco, Airtel moves to dump diesel for solar energy as fuel costs hit N28bn
