Channelling energy through technology: Omoniyi Oni transforms access with Pawa2u

The struggles of a developing nation can be perused through the eyes of its citizens and by considering the challenges faced by those driving its commercial possibilities- businesses. About 90% of Nigeria’s Foreign exchange Income and two-thirds of the Nigerian government’s earnings come from oil. Nevertheless, conveying fossil fuel to the end user within the nation is widely done through fuel stations as middlemen, which is largely ineffective in meeting consumers’ diverse needs and expectations, especially in providing alternative energy. Alternative energy is required to power daily activities due to unreliable electricity supply within the terrain for individuals and businesses who self-generate over 50% of their usage.

Pawa2u makes a turning point by simplifying access to alternative energy. Its technology intervention has provided remarkably welcomed benefits to consumers in terms of cost, accessibility, volume, convenience, timeliness, and safety.

As the Lead Product Manager at Pawa2u, Omoniyi Oni who has an in-depth understanding of Nigeria’s energy needs, coupled with a background steeped in technology, championed the development of a user-friendly solution which cracked the fossil fuel end-user logistics code. The mobile and web-based application now provides door-to-door power and energy service delivery whereby customers can compare, choose and purchase energy solutions, including renewable energy, based on their specific needs. Product Management is a top driver of business performance and Oni has a track record of helping organizations build products that work. Thus he led a team of designers, engineers and business analysts in building the Pawa2u platform, ensuring accessibility to all end-users and robust functionality. His strategic foresight enabled the organization to provide individuals and businesses with real-time order, verification and delivery of their purchases, while also providing a world-class utility payment service to all its customers.

The Pawa2u mobile application provides three key benefits:
Last mile energy delivery: Pawa2u’s innovative marketplace enables Nigerians across the 36 states to order and get their energy product and service request delivered to them in a predictable, secure and safe manner. This is an industry-first solution whereby products such as petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and other energy products can be purchased by customers from the comfort of their homes and offices. Energy retailers are also onboarded on the platform through a vetting process that guarantees their authenticity and that of the product. After a successful KYC, sellers are approved to fulfil customer orders. Both customer and vendor apps can be downloaded on Google Play and Apple App stores.

Excellent Customer Support: In giving adequate consideration to outcomes, the product development went through several iterations which factored in the needs of both customers and vendors who would be the two end users of the platform. The result is an intuitive process whereby a customer makes an offer for an order and receives a confirmation from a vendor, then the order can be tracked in real-time up to delivery. In addition is a delivery notification, which prompts the customer through the app to either confirm a delivery or complain about it.

Timeliness: An essential feature that factors the needs of a significantly on-demand generation is that purchases can be made on the app 24/7. Also, the fossil fuel category has a TAT (Turn Around Time) which is usually specified, and the customer can consider it to either reject or accept the
stated time before payment. In Oni’s words, “The adoption of the product and early growth in the market came about from a product-market fit that was defined at the early stages and was essential in positioning the organization for long-term success”.

Pawa2u has since its launch, made energy accessible and affordable to individuals and businesses, enabling more efficient and cost-effective daily operations. Undoubtedly, this game-changing contribution to the Nigerian energy sector, demonstrates how a critical societal need can be met by
an expertly-managed product.

Looking forward, Pawa2u is positioned to further transform the Energy landscape in Nigeria by expanding its offerings, thereby contributing to making energy accessibility a necessity rather than a luxury. It is convenient to see this as another feather in the cap for Omoniyi Oni, as this innovative and practical solution to real problems has paved the way for future innovations in the Nigeria Energy Sector.