Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

BettaCoal is a smokeless and affordable solid cooking fuel made from agricultural waste that helps low-income households and small businesses in Nigeria cut the cost of cooking energy while saving them from harmful cooking fuels like firewood and charcoal

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

BettaCoaloal Energy is a sustainable energy start-up that seeks to help low-income households and small food businesses in Nigeria cut the cost of their cooking energy expenses while saving their lives from harmful cooking fuels like charcoal and firewood. The business converts the abundant agricultural wastes in Nigeria such as rice husk, sawdust, coconut shells, corn cobs, etc., to make and sell smokeless, affordable, and palatable cooking fuel for the poor Nigerians. The business also makes well-designed improved cook stoves one of which is battery-powered and is used in cooking in modern kitchens without stains.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Nigeria is a country that’s blessed with abundant resources including crude oil and a high potential for hydroelectric power, however, access to good cooking fuel sources like electricity in the country has been a very big problem. Cooking gas, on the other hand, has been very expensive, particularly to low-income households and small businesses that barely earn enough income to feed their families. As a result, over 60% of poor Nigerian households rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking and heating. These cooking fuels are so dangerous and pose several health problems to users including chaste pains, eye pains, and even death. The worst victims of these challenges are women and children who face these dangerous cooking fuels every day of their lives trying to prepare meals for their families. According to the World Health Organization, over 90,000 Nigerian women and children die every year as a result of smoke inhalation while cooking with firewood.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

1. As compared to firewood and charcoal which emits dangerous smoke that causes users health problems, BettaCoal fuel is smokeless and gives users a smoke-free cooking experience 2. BettaCoal fuel burns 3 times longer than charcoal and firewood. Plus, a kilogram of BettaCoal costs N150 and can take a family of 5 people to cook a meal at least once, making it more economical 3. BettaCoal fuel is 80% stainless and is well packaged for easy handling and transportation 4. BettaCoal stoves saved 40% of energy and ensure the cleanness of people's kitchen spaces 5. It is made from agricultural waste, ensuring sustainability and constant availability 6. Using BettaCoal fuel enables you to cut down your carbon footprint and contribute significantly to the sustainability of the environment for the next generation to come.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

BettaCoal sells directly to customers, businesses, and organizations. Our customers include poor households in urban and semi-urban areas of Nigeria with minimum family sizes of 3 people, and businesses like restaurants, poultry farms, BBQ, roadside foods, wholesale stores, and supermarkets, etc., as well as organizations like boarding schools and churches.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-05-05

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

4

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

2

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Bem Yangeun is a multidisciplinary designer and team player with expertise in UX design, web design, and team building. He delivers user-centered solutions, drives collaborative innovation, and fosters a culture of creativity. With a human-centered design approach, Bem crafts intuitive projects that put users first, driving business success. Bem is currently the Chief Technology Officer of BettaCoal 2. Sikih Christiana is a graduate of fisheries and Aquaculture but has remarkable experience in management and accounting. Her top skills include human resource management and data analysis. She is currently the Production Manager and Data Officer of BettaCoal Energy. 3. Terhemba Nicholas is a multi-talented marketer with 4+ years of experience in digital marketing. He is currently the Marketing Officer of BettaCoal Energy. 4. Ujah Jecintha is an undergraduate in Agricultural Extension and Communication. She is a scriptwriter and a presenter, with great customer engagement skills.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.facebook.com/BettaCoal?mibextid=ZbWKwL

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

BettaCoal Energy intentionally introduced a poverty alleviation strategy into its work by providing local women within its host community the opportunity to join its value chain and earn extra income. The project empowers the women with technical skills and resources to turn their farm residual into coal fine which is further used to make BettaCoal fuel. Currently, about 75 of these women have been trained and each of them earns at least between N3000-N5000 a week which is added to their farm income to take care of their family needs.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

The smoke emissions from harmful cooking fuels such as firewood and charcoal cause users health problems including eye pain, chaste pain, and even death. The World Health Organization in 2019 reported that about 90,000 Nigerian women and children die every year due to smoke inhalation from harmful cooking fuels, and if nothing is done to curb the menace, by 2030, Nigeria will lose about 500,000 people to dangerous cooking fuels only. BettaCoal is addressing this problem by providing them with a solid cooking fuel that's smokeless and burns steadily without sparks giving them a harmless cooking experience. Currently, over 300 people are using BettaCoal across Nigeria which also means that 300 poor Nigerians no longer experience smoke inhalation while cooking, keeping their health safe from the effects of harmful cooking fuels. This contributes to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, Good health and well-being.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

BettaCoal Energy recognizes the importance of gender equality in societies and supports its existence by involving women in all phases of its workforce, starting from its Co-founders, through the employees, to direct beneficiaries. Currently, 2 out of the 5 Co-founders of BetteCoal are ladies. 4 out of the 10 employees are women and 75+ women are empowered under the project work and earn income. We hope to do more as the business grows further.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

BettaCoal is by itself a clean and sustainable cooking energy that seeks to avert the problem of cooking energy poverty and its consequences in Nigeria and across Africa. The business is currently supplying 300 households and over 50 businesses with its amazing cooking fuel and stoves across 5 states in Nigeria including Abuja and Lagos, contributing to the achievement of the UN sustainable development goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy for all.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

4

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

3

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Trees absorb carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, and convert it to fresh oxygen which is used by animals including humans. However, in Nigeria, due to the lack of clean and affordable cooking fuels, trees are the major source of cooking energy. An equivalent of 5000 hectares of woodland is consumed in Nigeria for fuel every year. Instead of using trees as a source of cooking fuels, BettaCoal converts agricultural wastes into cooking fuel. According to climate scientists, an average tree absorbs 0.02tons of carbon dioxide annually, meanwhile, 1ton of BettaCoal is equivalent to 16.6 average trees. Since the inception of BettaCoal Energy, we have produced about 300 tons of BettaCoal saving 300X16.6=5000trees. If 1 tree absorbs 0.02 tons of carbon dioxide, 5000 trees will absorb 0.02X5000=100 tons of carbon dioxide every year. This means that BettaCoal has so far saved 5000 trees and prevented 100+ tons of carbon dioxide thereby mitigating climate change.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

BettaCoal Energy believes in the powers of partnership and has used it to achieve great feats in its short time of existence. In two years, BettaCoal Energy has been able to win two international competitions, one in Bonn Germany, and the other in San Juan Puerto Rico. The project has also been able to reduce unemployment in Nigeria and contributed greatly to SGD 1, 3, 7, and 13. All this wouldn't have been possible without the powers of partnership. The business first started as a student project and was supported by my university making them the first partner of the project. Enactus Nigeria after endorsing the project as a great innovation provided it the platform to join the two Enactus-based international competitions which earned a total funding capital of about 15 million Naira. Today the BettaCoal is in partnership with over 6 organizations/institutions including construction companies as well as distribution companies.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

4

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

6

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

6

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

4

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

4

06.08 Justification for my startup

Products like BettaCoal fuel exist in places like Kenya and Rwanda but it is an entirely new product in Nigeria, particularly in Benue State where the business is located. The uniqueness of our product lies in the fact that it's made from the abundant waste agricultural materials in Nigeria which are usually burnt to ashes by farmers. Unlike many other briquettes from other companies that emit little smoke, BettaCoal recognizes that gap and intentionally makes its product absolutely smokeless and 80% stainless for easy usage and handling. BettaCoal uses a high-pressure machine that compresses its product with a greater density, making it burn for a very long time.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Across Africa we have companies like Zaacoal, Safi Coal, GreenbyAfrica, etc., however, in Nigeria, no noticeable company is making a product as BettaCoal fuel. This means no significant competitors of BettaCoal fuel exist in the country. Lump charcoal which already existed before BettaCoal is about 3X less effective than BettaCoal in terms of efficiency and economic benefits, making BettaCoal the top product in the market in the country.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes. Through one of my community development projects called Flow-Freedom, where I trained 100 adolescent girls in an all-girls school in Kano State to make reusable sanitary pads to help them fight period poverty, I extended my entrepreneurial knowledge to the young girls, explaining to them entrepreneurship as a pathway to financial freedom and the need for every young person to adopt it. This part of the program to fulfill one of the goals of Flow-Freedom which was to teach the ladies how to sell their produced reusable sanitary pads to other people to make income. The young girls were taught how to fund small businesses and basic marketing skills to help them sell their products.