Airtel goes green, reduces N28bn diesel expenditure

Airtel Nigeria says it will be cutting down on the 28 billion Naira spent on diesel to power its sites by embarking on a sustainability drive to reduce its carbon footprint.

Mr Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, made this known during a media roundtable organised to engage with senior media practitioners in Lagos on Tuesday.

Adeniran said Airtel with over 15,000 sites across Nigeria, each equipped with at least one diesel generator, currently consumed 22 million litres of diesel monthly, resulting in significant environmental impact

He said the monthly expenditure could have been higher without collocation, which allowed telecom operators in the country to share infrastructure.

“We are committed to minimising our environmental footprint. Our transition to grid and solar power will significantly reduce diesel consumption and mitigate climate change,” he said.

Adeniran noted that Airtel Nigeria’s sustainability efforts are expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s climate change mitigation goals.

Similarly, Mr Harmanpreet Dhillon, Chief Technical Officer, Airtel Nigeria, said the telco would be investing in Lithium-ion batteries rather than traditional batteries, which help to break down the carbon footprint.

It was reported that Lithium batteries are a type of rechargeable battery commonly used in portable electronics and electric vehicles.

They store more energy relative to their size and weight. Lithium batteries lose charge slower than other types.

Dhillon said that apart from reducing its carbon footprint, the telco was also adopting outdoor-operable electronics/ telecoms equipment.

“These devices can withstand extreme temperatures, humidity, and dust, eliminating the need for indoor air-conditioned spaces.

“The traditional equipment used to be very sensitive to temperature, high temperatures, for which you require an indoor room and air conditioning, which again increases your energy consumption.

“Now we are buying equipment which can operate in any environment, hence the power consumption goes down and doesn’t require high kilowatt consumption.

“This move reduces energy consumption, allowing Airtel to lower power usage, reduce reliance on generators and increase solar and lithium-ion battery adoption,” Dhillon said.

Also, Kemi Ariyo, Director of Information Technology, Airtel Nigeria, said the telco would be pioneering the adoption of green technologies, starting with its data centre.

She said the data centre, which was expected to be completed by 2027, would enhance the telco’s capacity and sustainability.