The 21st century has been blessed with technology, which has aided economic development. Large and small-scale businesses have made massive progress with the help of technology, and the role of constant power supply cannot be underrated. This varies from industries using heavy and intense machinery for production to small kiosks using electricity to preserve groceries and other daily needs.
Surveying one of the commercial centres in Abuja (Wuse market) on the energy crisis in Nigeria from May to June 2022, it was evident that the grid failures had negative turns on the businesspersons at that location. Livestock vendors, vegetable vendors, tailors and even restaurant owners complained about how they made an irrecoverable loss within that short period, seeing they had to sell less than the cost prices to avoid the goods perishing. With the limited opportunities for white-collar jobs, businesses like these are prevalent in developing countries. This implies that most business owners depend on their trade for daily sustenance.
The constant electricity supply will ensure the continuance of businesses, improve productivity, and give room for expansion. Persons in this category are known to have branches at different locations in the city and possibly outside those cities, and this chain system can’t be successfully achieved without electricity.
The constancy of electricity has an immense negative impact on our health. This could be viewed from two angles; the angle of pollution and the angle of consumption. From the pollution angle, the alternate electricity supply in developing countries uses carbon-emitting generators. These generators significantly impact noise pollution, hurting our hearing and general health, and household air pollution causes terrible respiratory issues leading to death. From the consumption angle, the longer groceries and livestock stay without proper preservation, the more the microbial parties tend to decay, which equates to hazardous consumption.
To assist SMEs with constant electricity, here are some suggestions:
- Deployment of more mini grids:
The government could assist by developing more mini-grids in commercial centres. It would be advisable to use renewable sources, like solar, to support their businesses in a grid failure or power outages.
- Funding:
Funding SMEs is very crucial in encouraging business development. Government, NGOs and International Corporations could fund SMEs by supporting them with grants, subsidized loan interests and even supplying them with materials to aid their business in terms of electricity demand, like energy saving bulbs, stabilizers, sure controllers and more.
- Sensitization:
One of the major problems hindering electricity supply management is the lack of sensitisation. Many people do not understand the benefits of using energy wisely because they feel like they pay for the electricity; therefore, they can use the power as they want. Educating people on using energy wisely will improve the demand and supply side because the more they save, the more we use.