One Grid Energy, a startup based in Onitsha, Anambra State, has emerged victorious in the MTN Pachipanda Challenge, a tech innovation competition that focused on sustainability, climate change, and pollution.
The team, comprising Valentine Kosisochukwu Nnamani, Emmanuel Chinecherem Ezea, and Ogochukwu Promise Ogene, beat over 2,000 applicants to claim the top spot, winning a 3 million naira cash prize, laptops, and an all-expense-paid trip to South Africa to represent Nigeria on a global stage.
According to Emmanuel Ezea, one of the team members, the competition was a transformative experience that tested their courage, patience, and spirit.
“The MTN Pachipanda Challenge was more than a competition. It felt like a journey that stretched our courage, tested our patience, and sharpened our spirit,” he said.
One Grid Energy’s winning innovation involves upcycling waste plastic bottles and e-waste lithium-ion batteries into affordable lanterns for energy-deprived communities.
The startup also offers smart-based solar charging stations, managed by rural women, providing reliable charging solutions for lanterns, mobile phones, and other devices.
The competition was sponsored by MTN Nigeria, UNDP, NCF, and WWF, and provided a platform for young innovators to showcase their ideas and solutions to real-world problems.
The team expressed gratitude to the organizers for creating the platform and believing in the power of young innovators.
“We are grateful. We are humbled. We are inspired to do more,” they said.
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