Power with Purpose: Sandra Chukwudozie and Everyday Clean Energy in Nigeria

Targets 9.1 & 9.4 – Build resilient infrastructure and upgrade industries for sustainability

In many parts of Nigeria, power cuts are not just inconvenient, they are expected. For millions of households and businesses, reliable electricity has always been out of reach. Instead, people rely on noisy diesel generators that are expensive to run, toxic to breathe, and dangerous for the environment.

Sandra Chukwudozie grew up watching this reality unfold and decided it didn’t have to stay that way.

In 2017, she founded Salpha Energy, a clean energy company focused on providing affordable, reliable, solar-powered products for homes and small businesses across Nigeria. She had worked with the United Nations and in the oil and gas industry. But she wanted to build something different: a business that didn’t just make clean energy accessible, but that created opportunity as it grew.

Salpha Energy started with simple but powerful tools: solar home systems, lanterns, and rooftop kits. The products were designed for off-grid or underpowered areas. But what made the business model work was the attention to local supply chains. Rather than import everything from abroad, Sandra’s team focused on assembling and distributing within Nigeria. That meant lower costs, better availability, and faster service.

In 2021, the company secured support from the World Bank’s Nigeria Electrification Project. This allowed them to scale rapidly, from hundreds to thousands of installations. Salpha began reaching deeper into rural communities, expanding into markets where no formal power infrastructure existed.

But Sandra didn’t stop at selling products. She recognised that any clean energy system is only as strong as the people who install and maintain it. So Salpha launched training programmes for local technicians. Young people, many of them unemployed or underemployed, learned how to assemble, troubleshoot and maintain solar systems. These were not one-off workshops. They were structured paths into full employment and entrepreneurship.

By 2023, Salpha Energy had trained over 1,200 young technicians. Many now run their own repair and installation services. Some became resellers. Others joined Salpha’s workforce. It created a ripple effect; clean energy led to clean income.

The company also partnered with microfinance institutions to develop pay-as-you-go models, which made solar systems more affordable for low-income households. Families could pay in small instalments, unlocking light, refrigeration, and phone charging without needing to buy diesel or connect to unreliable grids.

What makes Sandra’s work stand out is not just the technology, but the mindset. She’s not trying to build a Silicon Valley-style startup. She’s building infrastructure that works for everyday Nigerians. Her systems power classrooms, clinics, farms, barbershops, and homes. They reduce reliance on fossil fuels while creating stability where the national grid cannot.

Sandra herself has become a visible leader in the sector. She was named to the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 and regularly advocates for inclusive energy policy. But her business remains focused on local results, on fixing the power gaps that millions of people face each day.

This is what SDG 9 looks like in practice. Not just building infrastructure, but building it sustainably, and in ways that strengthen local economies. Not just replacing old systems but training the next generation to maintain and grow new ones. Not just providing clean energy but proving that clean energy can power dignity and development.

For Sandra, it’s simple. Everyone deserves light, comfort, and possibility, not just the wealthy, and not just the urban elite.

Your Voice. Your Target. Your Legacy.

If your organisation wants to build better infrastructure, don’t start with imported ideas. Start with local needs. Train local people. Use local parts. Build systems that last, and grow with the communities they serve.

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