Why the future of business starts with better energy decisions – Sianny Ayodele

Elektron Renewables recently expanded Jabi Lake Mall’s rooftop solar installation to approximately 1.5 MWp, creating what is now the largest rooftop solar installation on a shopping mall in West Africa.

Sianny Ayodele is the head of Elektron Renewables. In this interview with Josephine Okojie-Okeiyi, she spoke about the project, what it reveals about the changing role of renewable energy in business strategy and why energy is becoming a boardroom conversation.

Jabi Lake Mall’s rooftop solar expansion is a significant milestone, but perhaps its greatest significance lies beyond the numbers. What does this milestone tell us about the changing role of renewable energy in large commercial developments?

The Jabi Lake Mall project is significant because it reflects a much bigger shift in how businesses are thinking about energy. Becoming the largest rooftop solar installation on a shopping mall in West Africa is an incredible milestone and demonstrates what is possible when renewable energy solutions are deployed at scale. Beyond the achievement itself, it also represents where the market is heading.

Businesses are increasingly recognising renewable energy not only as a sustainability solution, but as critical infrastructure that can improve reliability, reduce operating costs and support long-term growth. This is especially the case in Nigeria, where businesses continue to navigate rising energy costs and grid constraints. It has become a strategic business decision that directly impacts productivity, customer experience and competitiveness.

For commercial developments like shopping malls, where retailers, employees and customers all depend on reliable power, energy decisions are increasingly becoming business decisions.

Jabi Lake Mall is a strong example of that shift. As one of Abuja’s leading retail destinations, welcoming more than 500,000 visitors every month, reliable energy is essential to supporting the retailers, employees and customers who depend on the mall every day. Expanding the rooftop solar installation to approximately 1.5 MWp was about strengthening the mall’s energy infrastructure and building greater resilience for the future.

I believe this is where the market is heading. Businesses are beginning to look beyond whether renewable energy is an option and asking how it can be integrated into their long-term growth strategy.

Shopping malls are among the most energy-intensive commercial environments. What makes them particularly well-suited to large-scale rooftop solar, and why was Jabi Lake Mall such a compelling opportunity?

Shopping malls are particularly well suited to rooftop solar because their energy profile naturally aligns with solar generation. Their highest electricity demand typically occurs during the day, which aligns closely with peak solar generation. They also tend to have large rooftop space that can accommodate significant solar capacity without affecting day-to-day operations. Jabi Lake Mall was a compelling opportunity because of its scale and operating profile.

With more than 100 retail outlets and over 500,000 visitors each month, it has substantial and consistent daytime electricity demand. Expanding the system to approximately 1.5 MWp means the system is expected to meet around 70 percent of the mall’s power demand, which is a significant contribution for a commercial facility of this size.

For Elektron Renewables, projects like Jabi Lake Mall represent the type of impact we want to create. Successful renewable energy projects are not just about installing the biggest solar system capacity possible, but about understanding how a customer operates, designing the right solution around their needs and delivering measurable business value.

As more businesses explore renewable energy, what do you think is the biggest misconception about how it should fit into a commercial energy strategy?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that renewable energy has to replace every other source of power to be considered successful. In reality, that is rarely the objective.

Businesses require energy strategies that improve reliability, manage costs and support growth. Renewable energy is often one part of that strategy, alongside the grid, battery storage, gas or other energy sources, depending on the needs of the business. The goal is to optimise the overall energy mix, not rely entirely on one source.

So, the question should not be whether solar can meet 100 percent of a facility’s energy demand, but where it can create the most value. If it can reduce energy costs, improve resilience and provide greater certainty over the long term, then it has achieved exactly what it was designed to do.

Ultimately, the success of any energy project should be measured by business outcomes. Does it make the business more competitive? Does it reduce operational risk? Does it create greater certainty for future growth? Those are the questions that matter, and they are the questions we focus on at Elektron Renewables.

Projects like Jabi Lake Mall demonstrate what is technically possible. From a business perspective, how have conversations around energy changed in boardrooms over the past decade?

The biggest change we have seen is that energy has moved from being an operational issue to a strategic business issue. Businesses have realised that the availability and affordability of energy directly impact their productivity, financial performance and customer experience.

Ten years ago, energy was largely viewed as a cost to be managed, while today, it is increasingly seen as a source of competitive advantage. Business leaders are asking different questions and thinking about resilience, business continuity, cost certainty and how energy affects their ability to scale.

Boards are also taking a much longer-term view. They are no longer asking, “What is the cheapest option today?” Instead, they are asking, “What is the smartest investment for the next 10 or 15 years?” That is a very different conversation, and it is driving greater interest in energy solutions that improve resilience and reduce long-term risk.

That is why projects like Jabi Lake Mall are important. They demonstrate not only what is technically possible, but also that businesses are making deliberate investments in energy infrastructure because they recognise the value it creates over time. I expect energy to continue moving higher on the boardroom agenda as organisations position themselves for the future.

As more organisations rethink their long-term energy strategies, what should business leaders be thinking about today to prepare for the future?

The first step is recognising that energy is a strategic business decision that has a direct impact on productivity, resilience and growth, so it deserves the same long-term thinking organisations apply to any other major investment.

Every business is different, and the right energy strategy depends on how you operate, your growth plans and what you are trying to achieve. The businesses that will be best positioned for the future are the ones being proactive today, rather than waiting until energy becomes a constraint.

Business leaders should also think beyond the immediate cost of electricity and consider the long-term value of reliable energy. The ability to operate with confidence, support growth and adapt to changing business needs will become increasingly important.

Ultimately, the future of commercial energy will not be defined by any single technology. It will be shaped by businesses making informed decisions about the right energy mix for their operations. Whether that includes solar, gas, battery storage, embedded generation or a combination of solutions, the objective remains the same: reliable, commercially viable energy that supports long-term growth.