A young man from Nigeria creates a fuel-free generator and receives $5,000 in funding.
AFRICA | Oyekunle Micheal, a resolute Nigerian, has accomplished a remarkable achievement by successfully creating a fuel-free generator.
He received a $5,000 award from the Tony Elumelu Foundation to expand his work because of his extraordinary inventiveness.
With a $5,000 award annually, the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Grant for Young Africans aims to empower men and women throughout the African continent, promoting economic growth, eradicating poverty, and guaranteeing job creation.
After his parents divorced, Oyekunle traveled to Ibadan, Nigeria, to live with his uncle when he was a little boy, marking the beginning of his adventure. Even basic activities like reading at night were challenging due to frequent power shortages, making life in the isolated area challenging.
“Are you familiar with the agony of attempting to read at night without power? It was really difficult, and we had to rely on lanterns. There was no power, so you couldn’t even watch TV,” he recounted.
Because of his frustration and difficulties, he came up with creative solutions to improve his life and have an impact on his community, such as creating a fuel-free generator.
Oyekunle, a graduate of Interlink Polytechnic in Nigeria with a degree in computer science, first presented his idea to his physics teacher, who gave him encouragement and said it was feasible. However, it was difficult to make it a reality with limited funding.
Resolved, he saved money from part-time jobs to pay for his project and computer science education. In 2022, after 15 unsuccessful efforts and more than 250,000 naira, he was able to construct a prototype.
Similar to conventional fuel-powered generators, Oyekunle’s fuelless generator, which was constructed from scrap metal, could power household equipment like fans, TVs, and lightbulbs. Even with his accomplishment, financing was still a significant obstacle.
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In 2021, his application for a grant from the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) was denied. He persisted in applying and eventually received the non-refundable $5,000 (more than ₦7 million) startup grant in 2023.
“To be honest, I never thought I would be chosen. My main goal is to receive intensive business management training, as I was not chosen on my first attempt in 2021,” he stated.
He conveyed his profound appreciation to the foundation for acknowledging his efforts and to Tony Elumelu, one of Africa’s most prominent investors and philanthropists.
Oyekunle, who is currently the CEO of Mailko Technology Limited, is committed to lowering the cost of his environmentally friendly generator for low-income households. According to him, his ultimate objective is mass production so that every company and home may have reliable electricity without having to rely on pricey gasoline.
“Our objective is to guarantee that every person, house, and workplace, irrespective of financial status, has access to our dependable, effective, and sustainable energy solutions,” he stated.
