With electricity shortages and limited charging points frustrating residents in some areas of Kano State, and the country in general, a group of youths in Kwanar Ungogo have innovatively devised a new way to ease the burden on residents while earning a living. Backed by Mopo Company, a team of young agents under the supervision of Area Manager Zainab Shuaib now operates a power bank rental service in the community. At the outlet visited by our reporter, three agents manage the day-to-day rental operations, each equipped with more than 70 power banks, while a dedicated charging station located within the neighbourhood ensures that returned devices are recharged and made ready for the next customer.

For just N300, customers can rent a power bank for 24 hours long enough to charge a mobile phone four or five times. What initially appeared to many residents as an unfamiliar innovation has quickly gained acceptance, attracting customers not only from Kwanar Ungogo but also neighbouring communities such as Dawanau and Rijiyar Lemo.

A visit to the outlet by Weekend Trust showed a steady stream of customers tropping to the place. Some came to return power banks borrowed the previous day, while others waited patiently to rent a fully charged power bank. Before handing over a device, one of the agents verifies the customers’ details and activates the power bank through a mobile application. Without that activation, the device can’t be used. Returned units were later taken to the company’s charging station, where they were recharged before being returned to circulation.

For the young agents, the business is more than simply renting portable chargers as it has become a source of livelihood while offering residents a practical solution to one of the daily challenges posed by unreliable and epileptic electricity supply.

One of the representatives, Mahmud Sulaiman Bawa, said he never imagined he would one day be working in a technology-driven business, as before joining Mopo, he sold bottled drinks at his shop in Kwanar Ungogo. His journey into the business began when officials of the company approached him with an opportunity that was completely new to him and his immediate environment.

“I was selling bottled drinks when they came to me and explained the business,” Mahmud recalled.

“At first, I didn’t know anything about it. They asked if I was interested in becoming one of their representatives. I told them I was on my way to the mosque and would meet them later.”

After discussing the proposal with a friend of his, both agreed to join the company and underwent training.

According to him, the training covered every aspect of the operation, from charging the devices and registering customers to activating each power bank through the company’s mobile application.

“The business has really opened our eyes,” he said.

“Many people were surprised when they learnt that a power bank could only work after being activated through a phone.”

Introducing the service, however, came with initial scepticism.

“The first thing people asked was whether someone could rent the power bank and run away with it,” Mahmud said.

To address such concerns, the company designed a digital system that gives its agents control over every power bank in circulation.

Before anyone can rent a device, the customer must first be registered. The agents collect personal information, including the customer’s full name, date of birth, address, phone number and photograph.

Only after the registration is completed does the agent activate the power bank through the company’s mobile application.

“If we don’t activate it, it won’t work,” Mahmud explained. “Even if somebody takes it away, they can’t use it until we activate it.”

The application also monitors the rental period.

Each customer is allowed to keep the power bank for 24 hours, after which it is expected to be returned. If the device is lost, the customer is required to pay N5,000 as a replacement cost.

Mahmud said the system has helped build confidence among both the company and customers.

Each of the three agents operating in Kwanar Ungogo was supplied with 73 power banks by the company.

Every device carries an identification mark linked to the assigned agent, making it easier to monitor and track the units whenever they are returned.

Although each representative is responsible for their allocated devices, they operate as a team under the supervision of Area Manager Zainab Shuaib. Returned power banks are taken to a separate charging station established by the company, where they are charged before being made available for the next customer.

Mahmud said affordability has also contributed to the growing popularity of the service.

“We charge N300 for 24 hours. Some operators elsewhere charge N400, but we decided to keep ours at N300 so that more people can benefit from it.”

According to the agents, demand has continued to rise steadily.

On a typical day, each of the agents rents out at least 40 power banks. At N300 per rental, this translates to a daily turnover of about N12,000 per agent before the company’s share is deducted through the digital wallet system.

Payments are processed electronically through a wallet integrated into the company’s application. After customers make payments, the company’s share is deducted automatically, while the remaining balance is credited to the agents’ digital wallets before being transferred into their bank accounts.

Patronage on the rise

Despite the doubts that greeted the business when it was introduced, the agents said they have recorded little or no complaints from customers.

Instead, patronage has continued to increase, with residents from neighbouring communities such as Dawanau and Rijiyar Lemo visiting the outlet to rent power banks.

Many customers, they said, prefer carrying a portable power source rather than leaving their expensive mobile phones at public charging points where theft sometimes occurs.

“We hardly receive complaints,” Mahmud said.

“Most people return because they are satisfied with the service.”

One of such customers is Ismail Abdulkadir, a resident of Kwanar Ungogo, who said he has been using the service for the past four days.

“I’ve been using the power bank for the last four days, and I’m really enjoying it,” he said.

“Some of my friends have also started using it because I referred them.”

According to him, the quality of the power bank convinced him to continue using the service.

“The power bank is very good. Once I return the one I rented, they immediately give me another one that is fully charged.”

Asked whether he had experienced any challenge while using the device, Abdulkadir answered in the negative.

“I haven’t faced any problem using it. I can charge my phone five to six times before returning it, and that has been very helpful, especially whenever there is no electricity.”

His experience mirrors the views of several customers who visited the outlet during this reporter’s visit. Many appeared familiar with the process, returning used power banks, completing the exchange and leaving within minutes with fully charged replacements.

More than a business

Beyond generating income for the young agents, the initiative is introducing technology-driven entrepreneurship into a community where many young people struggle to find stable employment.

Working under Area Manager Zainab Shuaib, the agents are responsible for customer registration, device activation, inventory management and ensuring that every returned power bank is taken back to the charging station before it is rented out again.

The business has equally exposed them to digital payment systems, customer service and technology-based business operations, skills that are increasingly becoming important in today’s economy.

For Mahmud, the business represents more than a means of earning an income.

“Our message to young people is simple,” he said.

“They should be open to new opportunities. Phones have become part of everyday life, and people will always need power. Through this business, we are earning an honest living while making life easier for others.”

As smartphones become indispensable for communication, banking, education and business, innovative services such as power bank rentals are gradually finding a place in communities affected by erratic electricity supply.

For the young entrepreneurs at Kwanar Ungogo, what started as an unfamiliar business idea has become both a dependable source of livelihood and a practical solution to one of the everyday challenges faced by many Nigerians. One fully charged power bank at a time, they are proving that innovation does not always require huge investments; it simply requires identifying a problem and providing a solution.

‘It’s a saving grace’

The service, which has come as a form of relief, has customers heave a sigh of relief from the challenges of erratic public power supply. Musa Ibrahim, a trader explained how the service has reduced the risk of theft from phone charging shops.

“Before, I used to leave my phone at shops with generators just to charge. Sometimes I worry it might be stolen. Now I rent a power bank and charge at home. It’s safer and more convenient.

“I have two phones; an Android phone and a keypad. Any time I rent a power bank, I can charge the keypad phone once and the Android twice before the battery drains,” he explained.

On his part, Musa Abdullahi praised the affordability, noting that it’s more economical to pay N300 for a power bank session to use for a whole day than pay N100 to charge a phone twice.

“Some places charge 400, but these youth operators kept it at 300. That makes a difference for families. I also like that the app tracks the battery and reminds you when it’s low. It’s organised, not like borrowing from a friend where you worry about damage.”

For Aliyu Yusuf, a student at North West University, the service came at the right time as he used it when he was preparing for his exam.

“I was preparing for exams and needed my phone to access lecture notes. The light went off for two days straight. A friend told me about the rental, and I got one for N300. It charged my phone four times before I returned it. Honestly, it saved me from missing my revision,” she said. (Weekend Trust)

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