Bilkisu Labaran

A Nigerian engineer and entrepreneur revolutionizing rural electrification through decentralized solar microgrids

Bilkisu Labaran is a visionary engineer from Nigeria who has pioneered innovative solar energy solutions to address Africa's energy poverty. Founder of SolarBloom Energy Solutions in 2021, she developed the award-winning Off-Grid PowerPod - a modular solar system designed specifically for rural African communities. This system has provided electricity to over 200,000 households in Nigeria's northern regions, reducing reliance on diesel generators and improving educational and healthcare outcomes.

Her most significant contribution is the Sunrise Alliance, launched in 2023. This initiative created a continent-wide network of women-led solar cooperatives, training over 5,000 female technicians across 15 African countries. The program has been endorsed by UN Women and African Development Bank.

Labaran's Educational Power Initiative (2024) connects schools with solar microgrids, enabling e-learning platforms and after-school programs. This has increased school retention rates by 65% in participating communities. Her work with Greenpeace Africa helped draft Nigeria's 2025 Renewable Energy Master Plan, setting a target of 30% renewable energy usage by 2030.

In 2025, she pioneered the Hybrid Energy Storage System, combining solar with battery tech and biogas from agricultural waste. This innovation won the Global Green Tech Award and is now being implemented in Kenya and Ethiopia. Labaran's approach emphasizes community ownership, ensuring local residents manage and profit from their energy systems.