In Africa, more and more companies are seeking to have a positive impact on their environment by providing innovative solutions to societal problems. In Chad, where electrification is a major issue and investment is scarce, some initiatives are taking on the challenge. This is the case of Kouran Jabo, the startup that promotes lighting for all through solar kits.
Kouran Jabo, the power is back!
Like several other Central African countries, Chad is facing a serious lighting deficit. Young Chadians are turning to entrepreneurship to solve this problem and contribute to local socio-economic development. Youssouf Ali Mbodou is part of this generation of young entrepreneurs. He knows the problems of lighting well, having experienced them during his adolescence. At the time, Youssouf Ali Mbodou used to study by candlelight, or in the streets of N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, by starlight, during the frequent power cuts that could last for weeks.
In his late thirties, he is since 2018 the founder of a start-up specialised in solar energy, Kouran Jabo, which means "the power is back". This expression, which is very well known to the Chadian population, is often chanted when the electricity supply is restored after each power cut.
The startup's offer is simple. It offers innovative solutions to improve the lives of low-income people by facilitating their access to clean, modern solar energy. Its offer includes energy independence kits (lamps, solar panels, a mobile charging station) that are healthy, environmentally friendly, reliable and scalable according to needs and budgets.
Solar energy within reach of Chadian households
When he launched Kouran Jabo, Youssouf Ali Mbodou knew that the challenges would be great. In a country where less than 71% of the population has access to the electricity grid, the sun shines all year round and is an inexhaustible source of energy. And the young entrepreneur had to deal with the Chadian population's lack of knowledge about solar panels and their mistrust of this green electricity solution. He had to dip into his savings to launch Kouran Jabo, and rely on the support of his team to demonstrate his solution and convince his first customers. And his approach has borne fruit, since more than 1,000 households, or 5,000 people, have now been reached in 7 towns in Chad, and the startup does not intend to stop there.
To facilitate access to the kits offered, Kouran Jabo has adopted a pay-as-you-go model that allows households to pay in instalments on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. This system has proved beneficial to both low-income households and young entrepreneurs. So, to go further, the company has expanded its offer by introducing, in addition to the basic kit which costs CFAF 70,000, a package including a TV screen, a fan, and 5 to 6 lamps for CFAF 475,000, with payment spread over one and a half years.
With Kouran Jabo, Youssouf Ali Mbodou is helping to improve the country's electrification rate, which is one of the lowest in the world (6.4%). With the demand for electricity present, Mbodou plans to partner with investors to achieve the goals of supplying about 1 million homes by 2030, and to expand to other Central African countries.
