Premier Vice President of the of the Renewable Energies Association of Nigeria, Habiba Ali, is writing her PhD dissertation, despite running one of the largest renewable enterprises in Nigeria.
The World Bank Womenx fellow and graduate of the Cherie Blaire Road to Business Growth program was also co-founder of the Developmental Association for Renewable Energies, where she worked as National Co-ordinator.
As Managing Director and CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies, Habiba manages a partnership with C-Quest LLC to implement a nationwide programme of activities.
She tells BL why behavioral change is necessary to defeat Energy Poverty.
So much has been said about renewable energy in the country, yet not much impact has been made. What is responsible for this?
I am not sure I would say not much impact has been made because it needs for people to do a bit of research and find out. It may not be as much as what we would want to see but I think its also getting there.
The financing to back up the whole renewable energy drive is not enough and where there is enough financing, it’s not easy to access it.
The term ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ was very big earlier in the decade. Is it not a big deal anymore?
The term Social Entrepreneurship is a still a big thing because a lot businesses are becoming more like social entrepreneurs than ever before. More businesses are trying to lead activities than ever before. People are realising that doing business for the good of the people is actually the only way you can do business and grow quickly. People are beginning to understand what are fundamental needs of the people and trying to align their businesses to suit that. Up till now even in the United States of America, for you to be named the big cup is a good thing and that is what you refer to as a social enterprise.
What are you doing to push government policy in the energy sector, especially when it comes to renewables?
For me, I am doing my best to push government policy by supporting all the organisations that I am a member of, like the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Alliance, the Nigeria Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves, to develop these policies, review them and submit them to government. Meanwhile, we are also on the backend pursuing all that we can, having government to at least sit down with us and have discussions when it comes to renewable energy.
You have distributed over 50,000 improved cooking stoves in Kaduna. How sustainable is this project? Can you also shed more light on Energy Poverty?
This project is sustainable. It happens simply because there was carbon financing backing it up. For us to grow bigger than this, there is need for some sort of financing that is put in place or allow payment plan. Currently, there is enough of financing going round to push other parts of developmental challenges but I don’t think enough is being pushed out into behavioural change of cooking habits that we currently have. This is where we also have a problem with the gender and energy trajectory because the face of the energy poverty is the woman. It is the woman who makes sure there is energy in the house to cook. She is the one who oversees the household and stays with the children and so she needs to find energy for them to read their books . So, most times we find out that it was the woman who has need for energy more. So when the energy is not reliable or it is not there, then the gender face of energy is very obvious and can be a problem.
You studied Accounting as your first Degree, how did you venture into Energy solutions?
I got into renewable energy simply because of interest. I saw where renewable energy was going as against the conventional energy, especially the firewood, cooking stove that we use, and I realised that this is a better form of energy. It is more reliable, cleaner and everything. That is why I ventured into energy.
Congratulations on your recent award. What did the honour mean to you?
This is the first time female ambassadors in Nigeria came together to do an award like this. To be named as one of the first winners, I felt so glad. It wasn’t an award where you have to apply for or you vote for. I was just called upon one day and they said I was one of the nominees for XYZ award. It was a big honour and I felt very good about it. When I was watching the video they did on the activities, it dawned on me that we have done quite a lot of things and I was proud of myself.
