Energy efficiency is Africa’s hidden growth engine – Engr. Ayanwole Lasisi

Nimot Sulaimon

Engr. Ayanwole Lasisi is a Project and Facilities Management Executive with over 18 years of experience leading infrastructure projects across oil and gas, telecommunications, construction, banking, and retail. He specialises in energy-efficient and sustainable operations, preventive maintenance, and portfolio management across Africa and the Middle East. He holds an M.P.E., is IFMA-certified, and is a Registered Engineer (COREN).

In this interview, he explains why energy remains one of the biggest constraints to economic growth across Africa.

Excerpts:

Your recent work argued that energy efficiency is one of the most overlooked opportunities for African businesses. Why do you believe this is so important right now?

Energy remains one of the biggest constraints to economic growth across Africa. But while governments focus on expanding energy supply, many organisations overlook a powerful solution already within reach: energy efficiency and intelligent operations management.

My work optimising energy systems for banks, ports, retail chains, and telecoms reveals a consistent truth—energy efficiency is the fastest and most cost-effective way to stabilise operations in challenging environments.

When you talk about inefficiency, what kinds of issues do you see most frequently inside business facilities across the continent?

The patterns are very familiar. Energy inefficiencies often arise from poorly synchronised air-conditioning units, oversized generators, lack of power-factor correction, absence of load balancing, outdated building-management systems, and insufficient renewable integration.

These everyday problems have massive consequences. A single inefficient chiller or generator can drain millions over time.

At Standard Chartered Bank, I led projects that replaced oversized diesel units, installed inverter AC systems, and upgraded the Building Management System. These improvements delivered up to a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption across key facilities.

You’ve described energy efficiency not just as a cost issue but as a strategic advantage. Can you expand on that?

Certainly. Efficiency is directly tied to reducing operating costs, even without changing the power source. It enhances operational resilience because modern load-management systems help organisations withstand unstable grids and rising fuel prices.

It also creates cleaner and safer workplaces. Upgrading outdated systems significantly reduces emissions, heat load, and environmental risks. And when equipment operates under optimal conditions, it lasts longer—reducing long-term capital expenditure.

Efficiency is not just a technical upgrade; it is a strategic investment.

What would a resilient energy framework for African businesses look like?

A resilient framework integrates hybrid energy systems that combine grid supply, solar power, and diesel in a coordinated manner. It includes smart Building Management Systems that optimise consumption, real-time monitoring enabled by IoT sensors, and predictive load forecasting.

It also involves energy-efficient retrofits and emerging waste-to-energy technologies, including systems I currently help design at Eastlake E&P.

These are not future ideas—they are practical, proven models that can be implemented today.

How would you summarise the core message leaders should take away?

Africa’s energy challenge is not only a power-generation problem; it is an efficiency problem. By prioritising intelligent operations and system optimisation, African businesses can significantly improve resilience and profitability even before new power plants or reforms arrive.

Energy efficiency is development.
Energy efficiency is competitiveness.
Energy efficiency is strategy.