Unlock Solar-Powered Productivity for Nigerian Micro-Businesses

When a Nigerian barber gets reliable solar power, she can add a second chair, extend her hours, and increase turnover by 30–50%. A seamstress with solar can run two sewing machines and take on more orders. The productive use of solar for small businesses — not just lighting and phone charging — is one of the highest-impact energy access opportunities in Nigeria, and it is almost entirely underdeveloped. Your challenge is to design a solar-plus-productive-equipment bundle for micro-businesses in one trade category (barbing, tailoring, cold storage, or grain milling). The bundle must be financeable over 24 months at under ₦8,000 per month, and the productivity gains to the business must demonstrably exceed the monthly payment. Submit a business model design (max 12 pages) including: the trade category chosen, the specific equipment bundle, a business case showing revenue uplift versus cost of financing, installation and maintenance model, a customer service and default management approach, and a plan to reach 5,000 businesses in 18 months. Judging criteria: 35% quality of business case for the borrower, 30% financial model for the lender, 20% equipment and maintenance design, 15% scale plan.