itel Energy has expanded footprint into Nigerian renewable energy market with the launch of its cutting-edge energy solutions.

Nigeria CommunicationWeek reports that Itel Energy is a one-stop solar solutions firm that offers a range of products, including inverters and batteries for durable and cost-effective energy plans, tailored to meet Nigeria’s unique energy challenges.

Speaking at the launch held on Friday at Marriott hotel, Ikeja and themed: “Light up Nigeria” Mr. Andy Yan, CEO, itel Energy said that their aim of coming into Nigeria’s renewable energy market is to provide Nigerian households with clean and reliable energy solutions.

According to him, “itel has always been driven by a commitment to making technology accessible and improving the quality of life for our customers. With over a decade of experience in the Nigerian market, we understand the challenges people face, particularly with unreliable electricity.

“Moving into solar energy is a natural extension of our mission to provide affordable, innovative solutions that meet the specific needs of Nigerians.

“We saw a significant gap in the market for reliable, cost-effective energy solutions, and with itel Energy, we aim to fill that gap by offering products that deliver clean, dependable power to every Nigeria homes across the country”.

Highlighting how it plans to address the specific energy challenges faced by Nigerians, Yan stated that with their knowledge of Nigeria’s climate and terrain, having been in the country for over 10 years, it plans to bring to the sector bespoke high-performance Energy storage solutions that are designed specifically for Nigeria’s climate and energy needs.

Adding that its products are robust, weather-resistant, and capable of handling the frequent power fluctuations common in Nigeria.

He further emphasized that their solutions are cost-effective, tailored to make clean energy accessible to a broader segment of the population, ultimately contributing to a more stable and sustainable energy landscape.

Equally, Ms.Farrah Huang, Global Marketing director, itel Energy, while giving insights about the products said that their flagship products are IP54 and IP66 inverters, which he said were designed to meet the highest standards of performance and durability.

“Our IP54 and IP66 inverters are our flagship products, designed to meet the highest standards of performance and durability.

“The IP54 inverter is designed for indoor use, providing excellent protection against dust and water splashes, making it ideal for homes.

“The IP66 inverter, on the other hand, is designed for outdoor use with a higher level of protection against water and dust ingress, making it perfect for harsh weather conditions.

“Both models boast advanced power conversion technology, high energy storage capacity, and seamless integration with existing power systems.

“They are built to withstand Nigeria’s high temperatures and rainy seasons, ensuring reliable performance even in challenging environments”.

On the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of its products Ms. Huang, noted that their products were designed to provide superior energy conversion rate and greater storage capacity.

This, he said would enable customers get more value for their investment while enjoying long-term durable and customized energy solutions.

“Additionally, our inverters are engineered for long-term durability, reducing the need for frequent replacements and repairs.

“By offering customizable energy solutions, we help our customers save on energy costs while ensuring a reliable power supply.

“We also offer 3 years replacement with 5 years’ service warranty, and 5 years replacement with 5 years’ service warranty, for our IP54 and IP66 inverters, which is a significant advantage over many other options in the market”, he concluded.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said the World Bank will soon be executing a solar auction framework that will reduce the cost of solar tariff in Nigeria.

The Head of the Renewable Energy/Corporate Planning and Strategy, NERC, Engineer O. Jonathan stated this during a webinar competency centre renewable series of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN).

He said: “We are having some challenges which have to do with integrating the solar energy into the national grid. Those challenges, many commissions, have come to the aid of the commission.

“World Bank presently is bringing out a solar auction framework. That solar auction framework, once it commences, it will allow the developers and the cost of solar tariff will go down.

“That is the essence of the solar auction. It will open the space for all the contractors in Nigeria to be in it.

“In financing and investment, the World has outlined how they will support in the distribution and transmission segment, not in the generation.”

Head Supply, HSEQ, and Technical at MEMAN in a communique made available to journalists on Friday remarked on the importance of the workshop in advancing Nigeria’s energy transition agenda. The workshop was titled: “Energy transition through solar energy.”

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Engineer Abiola Kosegbe, said there is a deficit in the energy needs of Nigerians and Lagos State residents, in particular.

She stated that Lagos State has set an ambitious target to generate 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with initiatives like the “Solar for All” program playing a crucial role in achieving this goal.

She stressed the need for continued investment in infrastructure, supportive policies, and collaboration to sustain the growth of renewable energy in Lagos and across Nigeria.

Kosegbe said: “Advancement of renewable technologies and the transformative potential for the energy sector. We know that there is a deficit in the energy needs of Nigerians and in Lagos State, in particular. That cannot just be over-emphasised.

“We stand on a new era of advancement in renewable technologies. We need to fill the gaps that we are faced as we are in Nigeria today. Solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy are not just alternative sources.

“They are becoming the backbone of sustainable energy future. Innovations in this fields are driving efficiency, reducing costs and unlocking new possibilities.

“Focusing on solar power, for example, recent breakthroughs in the energy storage are dramatically increasing solar efficiency and making it more accessible than ever.

“Wind energy too, has seen remarkable strides with development of larger more efficient turbines and offshore installations that harness stronger and more consistent winds.

“For Lagos State we have set an ambitious renewable energy target. We are aiming to generate 50% of electricity through renewable sources by 2030. Solar energy is leading the charge with Lagos state government launching initiatives like Solar for all programme, providing affordable solar energy solutions for homes and businesses.

“In Lagos State today, we have seen the solar energy adaption grow by 200% in the last two years.

“The advancement in renewable energy technologies are not just shaping the future of energy, they are defining it, with continues innovation and dedication, we have the opportunity to create energy sector and in deed a society that is clean, resilient and sustainable for generations to come.”

Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, said both the federal and state governments need to commission and adequately fund national research programmes on specific solar solar photovoltaic (PV) component aspects so that it will enhance the localization of some percentage of technology in Nigeria.

His presentation which focused on advancing solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in Nigeria, was delivered by the Director, Renewable Energy Department, Sulu Bolaji Fulani Ibrahim.

He stated that solar PV holds immense potential to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, with applications ranging from home systems to large-scale utility projects.

According to him, there is a critical need to adopt the latest solar technologies to ensure cost-effectiveness and value for money.

He underscored the importance of policy documents such as the National Energy Policy and the Renewable Energy Action Plan in guiding the development of solar energy.

He added that the strategic use of Nigeria’s mineral resources, such as lithium, is crucial for supporting local content and driving the renewable energy industry.

He said: “We need do to have parameters for assessment so that we have value for money. This is for cost effectiveness. We also have to look at the technology readiness level and the local content of the solar PV technology.

“For technology readiness, most of the solar PV components we are using in Nigeria today are at the highest meaning that technology is matured. For local content, we have minerals that are key to energy transition.

“One of them is lithium. So we need to take advantage of the minerals reserves that we have. We need to develop the local content.”

From smart watches and digital assistants to connected cars, web-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) devices and technologies are transforming daily life and industry.

To ensure the integrity and safety of IoT systems, Kaspersky experts are contributing to the development of a new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard for IoT devices: “ISO/IEC TS 30149 Internet of Things (IoT) – Trustworthiness principles”.

This standard is being established in collaboration with experts from the Joint Technical Committee 1 between ISO and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The standard sets out the factors making IoT devices safe and trustworthy, analysing the relations between unconditional trust and assured system dependability, formalising the general concept of trust.

With the complexity of today’s IoT solutions and increasing sophistication of cyberattacks targeting these devices, having a technical understanding of solutions is crucial for mitigating the inherent risks of these products.

Kaspersky perceives trust as a concept to ensure all relevant stakeholders understand the specific trust elements of an IoT solution, and any potential risks in their given use case.

Developed over the last five years, the standard sets requirements for the trust of cyber-physical systems, including various devices and systems of IoT and industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The standard defines a complex and ambiguous concept of trust, as well as principles for building and managing trust in the system life cycle.

The document also describes principles for IoT system trust management and building trusted systems, with the standard annex containing best practices for IoT system trustworthiness.

They include participative (stakeholder-based) approach, trustworthiness characterisation method, system maturity models, and impact assessment, among others. The annex also specifies a trustworthiness view that covers practical aspects of assuring the quality and security of IoT system usage.

The document standard regulates the principles of trust in terms of reliability, security, information security, personal data security, and robustness in the face of attacks. It outlines principles for building and managing trust and confidence in IoT and IIoT systems throughout their life cycle, considering both the informational and physical aspects.

Ekaterina Rudina, Security Analysis Group Manager at Kaspersky, noted: “The operation of IoT systems is a serious process that should be secured on both cyber and physical levels. The trustworthiness of these systems is a key factor for developers and users.

“We are always committed to creating the highest security standards and constantly work on sharing our global expertise. It’s encouraging to see how the international expert community continues to work and to make significant progress in this area.”