If you ever find yourself on the long, winding path to Ogidigben, a coastal community tucked deep within Delta State, you might think you’ve stepped into a place time almost forgot. No steady grid power, no reliable refrigeration, no easy way to preserve harvests, fish, or even medicine.
But walk a little further and you’ll see something new.
Solarcool, in collaboration with development partners, has launched a Smart Energy Hub designed to provide reliable, solar-powered cold storage to local farmers, fisherfolk, and small businesses.
For the first time, households and enterprises in this remote area now have access to sustainable refrigeration, helping them reduce post-harvest losses, extend shelf life, improve income, and even power nearby health centers.
The new facility is already serving over 500 beneficiaries. Local fisherfolk, smallholder farmers, traders, and households can now access rent-a-space refrigeration services that help preserve perishables, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve food safety. By extending the shelf life of products like fish and vegetables, the Smart Hub is also boosting local income and strengthening rural value chains.
Beyond agriculture and commerce, the hub is contributing to community health. Reliable electricity from the Smart Energy Hub is powering nearby health centers, ensuring safe storage of vaccines and medical supplies. This integration of solar technology into both economic and healthcare systems highlights the wide-reaching impact of productive-use energy solutions.
Solarcool’s approach combines innovation, inclusion, and sustainability. By deploying modular, clean-energy infrastructure in hard-to-reach communities, the company is helping to bridge the energy access gap while empowering women, youth, and microenterprises. The project also aligns with Nigeria’s national energy goals and AfDB’s vision for inclusive, climate-smart development.
With continued support from partners and host communities, Solarcool is working toward its ambition of building 1,000 Smart Hubs across Nigeria. The success of the Ogidigben deployment provides strong proof of concept for scaling solar-powered cold storage in other off-grid regions across the country.

To learn more about Solarcool’s Smart Energy Hubs or explore partnership opportunities, visit www.solarcool.com.ng
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