Zinox, Freeplay target plants in Nigeria

Zinox Technologies Limited and Freeplay Energy of United Kingdom (UK) are set to launch an assembly plant that would reduce the dependence of Nigerians on electric power.

Chief executive officer, Freeplay Energy, Mr. David Floyd said recently while on official working visit to Lagos, that the assembly plant would produce essential communications and lighting equipment like the small reading lamps, the Indigo Lantern, the bigger reading lamps, the Kito Lantern and portable radio sets, the Eyemax Radio, as well as the touch lights, the Jonta Flashlights.

He also said that the plant would employ thousands of Nigerians and is expected to deploy millions of these energy conserving products across the continent, where it is estimated that over 600 million people lack access to stable electricity.

Floyd said that population explosion has increased the strain on existing but insufficient infrastructure making the production of energy saving products mandatory.

According to him, “our exclusive partnership with the Digital Accessories Division of Zinox Technologies Limited, is to build a plant that would assemble these globally certified products in the country and distribute to other countries of Africa except South Africa.

“We’re partnering with Zinox because of her ownership pedigree, passion to develop Africa and reputation outside Nigeria as a company to trust,” he said.

Floyd further said that as an international company, Freeplay Energy has over the years introduced energy saving innovations that have impacted on the lives of people across the world, especially those in communities where electricity is in very short supply.

Explaining that the product range of the Indigo Lantern, the Kito Lantern, the Eyemax Radio and the Jonta Flashlights were specially designed to deliver excellent performance despite the tough conditions they may be subjected to.

He stressed that the products could withstand the shock of sudden drops without any effect on their casing or the content.

Mr. David Floyd further explained that Freeplay Energy is currently in partnership with the UNICEF, USAID and a number of other development agencies to take the products to less developed communities and the most recent include: rural communities in Nairobi, Kenya and New Delhi in India.

He said that due to its excellent performance the products are hot cake there.
In her comment, the Executive Director, Zinox, Mrs. Vivian Abii, said that they are still in the era of epileptic power supply, as Nigerians need to own at least two of the Freeplay products and recommended the lamp and radio set as the benefits are unquantifiable.

Mrs. Abii said that apart from being a cheaper source of energy it would help to usher in a new culture of energy conservation in a country where security lights are left on 24/7. Additionally, she said, candles and paraffin lamps are extremely hazardous to health, often messy, apart from being quite expensive to maintain.

As said by her, every student needs to have one for reading as the illumination is brighter and covers a wider area with zero health hazards as against the cruder applications.

She emphasized that the federal, state, local governments and institutions could promote a reading culture among children without a cheaper source of energy.

“Are our children going to read in darkness? What is the cost of power supply to even the richest family?” she wondered.

She disclosed that these are issues that have been resolved in countries like India as a knowledge driven economy and government must embrace this safe alternative source energy for our students and homes.


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