Yemisi Izuora
Lumos Nigeria, Africa’s market-leading solar home system provider, has joined forces with Young Professionals Organisation, YPO, Lagos Chapter and the Lagos State Government, by donating Solar Powered Systems (SPS) to power critical units at the 70 bed Eti-Osa COVID-19 Isolation & Treatment Center, located within the premises of the Landmark Exhibition Centre in Lagos.
The Isolation center was built in 21 days by the YPO, and handed over and commissioned by Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
The Centre which also has a dedicated 10-bed intensive care isolation unit, four ventilators, monitors, respirators, mobile x-ray, ultrasound and oxygen facilities, is well equipped to help in the fight the pandemic in the State.
Lumos Nigeria’s donation to the isolation center was facilitated by a grant from All On, an independent offshoot of Shell Petroleum Development Company, committed to increasing access to energy in Nigeria.
Commenting on the support, Lumos Nigeria’s CEO, Adepeju Adebajo said; “We are very pleased to join other like-minded organisations and individuals to help control the spread of the disease so that Nigerians can return to their everyday lives. Our decision to support this critical facility and others like it across the country is due to the conviction that access to stable and reliable power is crucial to the delivery of emergency healthcare.”
Also speaking, Dr. Richard Ajayi, a representative of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Lagos Chapter, said; “With the opening of our multi-bed Isolation center at the Landmark center in Lagos, we are grateful for this support from Lumos and All On. It is one that speaks to the most fundamental of our need, as access to stable electricity is at the heart of seamless healthcare delivery anywhere in the world, especially in Nigeria.”
In his remarks, All On Investment Manager, Afolabi Akinrogunde said; “We commend Lumos Nigeria for stepping forward to play a role at this time of crisis and salute its commitment to the national anti-COVID-19 effort. Healthcare operations across Nigeria need reliable solar power now more than ever if we are to contain this virus. All On remains committed to providing the required support in this endeavor and are happy to see the progress made by Lumos through the All On Covid-19 Solar Relief Fund.”
Lumos Nigeria, which already connects over 100,000 families and small businesses to its service is poised to address the fundamental challenges of power in Off-Grid and Weak-Grid locations by committing to light up one million homes and businesses with affordable, reliable, clean and environment-friendly solar-powered electricity, by 2025.