Mobilizing Science-Based Enterprises for Energy, Water, and Medicines in Nigeria (2007) / Chapter Skim
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3 The Case Studies
3 The Case Studies
Pages 31-54
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From page 31... ...
The lack of TVs, radios, refrigerators, stoves, cell phones, and other electrical devices reduces the quality of life and opportunities for small business, and results in the uncontrolled migration of potential agricultural producers to the cities. Lack of an energy-dependent infrastructure, including communications, 1 U.S.
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From page 32... ...
In recent years, the cost of such systems has fallen along with the cost of purified silicon, the semiconductor at the heart of a solar cell, and the efficiency of manufactured solar cells has risen, with the result that the cost of generating solar electricity is only slightly higher than the average cost of power from the grid. Solar photovoltaics may not be ready to generate electricity for the grid, but it can be the technology of choice for communities that lack access to the grid or where the grid is unreliable.
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From page 33... ...
He described his ongoing efforts to develop a critical mass of Nigerian solar specialists and to establish by 2007 a solar photovoltaics cell manufacturing facility. Funds for the facility have been released by the government, and Princeton University is assisting with the training in silicon amorphous film deposition.
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From page 34... ...
From its earliest years, SELCO realized the importance of consumer financing, and it spent much of its human and financial resources on informing bankers about the usefulness of solar technology. In four to five years, SELCO was able to convince more than 550 managers of seven different local banks of the value of financing solar home lighting systems.
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From page 35... ...
SOLAR HOME SySTEMS IN NIgERIA After looking at SELCO, the workshop considered a hypothetical enterprise called the Solar Energy Company of Nigeria Ltd. (hereafter the Company)
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From page 36... ...
Usually, this microcredit is directed at start-up businesses, but the argument could be made that electric lighting would give consumers an opportunity to undertake work or conduct a small business in the home to repay the loan. In addition, the government could offer consumers incentives such as tax deductions or free service contracts for investing in renewable energy sources that would subsidize part of the purchase.
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From page 37... ...
Only 60 percent of households have access to improved sources of drinking water,4 although it is widely believed that no community in Nigeria receives safe drinking water from the government. This situation affects both rich and poor; even those who rely on deep bore wells cannot reliably secure uncontaminated water.
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From page 38... ...
in California for developing countries, is applied on a community scale to produce potable water for all domestic uses except laundry. It is marketed to small commercial water sellers and village cooperatives in Mexico and India and to franchised "water stores" carrying the WaterHealth brand in the Philippines, all of which have been able to pay off their loans and make a profit.
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From page 39... ...
Other, more advanced technologies based on nanotechnology are still under development and showing promising results.6 The use of each technology, however, must be accompanied by education about the value of safe water and proper maintenance. Ceramic Filters The Filtron ceramic filter is intended primarily for household use, ideally as part of an overall water delivery system.
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From page 40... ...
to franchisees that produce and sell potable bottled water to consumers at prices below those of packaged bottled water. Other WHI products, such as community water systems, are sold to governments or communities directly, and provide enough safe water to meet all daily domestic needs, including hand and food washing and bathing.
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From page 41... ...
WHI sells equipment to a local affiliate, who markets the units, with a service contract, to local franchises, entrepreneurs, or village organizations. These groups typically sell coupons to families to redeem for water, and some end users opt to pay extra for home delivery in special containers.
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From page 42... ...
The potential customers of such a company would be any people who lack access to potable water, specifically including those in rural areas for whom the government water service is not available and the urban and periurban poor who cannot afford well or bottled water. Potable water or Filtron units can also be offered to middle-class customers in more elegant containers, and bottled water can be marketed through water stores or by home delivery.
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From page 43... ...
At least 1.5 kilowatts of power are needed to operate a community water system. Depending on the water source, lower power requirements may apply to water store franchises that do not have to pipe water to their facilities.
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From page 44... ...
As for the competition, the association of the companies that sell water in plastic bags in Nigeria should be engaged and employed to distribute safe water or sell Filtrons instead of competing with community water systems. They could also sell low-cost water quality kits, such as the Hach test described in Appendix B
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From page 45... ...
ANTIMALARIAL ARTEMISININ COMbINATION THERAPy (ACT) At this time, no developing country government is able to ensure a supply of ACTs for all of its population, because only one company supplies the medication recommended for malaria and there are only a few monopolistic producers of the raw material, and the price is high.
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From page 46... ...
They are also as good as quinine for severe malaria, and, when used appropriately, some are better than quinine for noncerebral, severe malaria.9 WHO and the global malaria community also recognize the value of using artemisinins coformulated (i.e., two drugs in one pill) with another effective but unrelated antimalarial, in what is referred to as artemisinin combination therapy, or ACT.
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From page 47... ...
Part of the reason for the high cost of artemisinin drugs is that much of the supply of high-quality artemisia leaves needed to manufacture the drug is controlled by dealers in China and Vietnam. Chinese companies extract the artemisinin and produce monotherapies and ACTs that are sold internationally without prequalification by international standards, despite WHO recommendations, or they sell the artemisinin directly to overseas buyers.
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From page 48... ...
global Aid for Antimalarial Drug Purchases The Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provides funds to governments for approved plans covering all types of interventions for these diseases. Assuming funding is available, it will spend $2.2 billion over five years.
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From page 49... ...
The overall goal of the ACT subsidy will be to increase universal access to and use of ACTs by bringing the price down to the same level as chloroquine and sulfadoxinepyrimeth amine and as such diminishing the use of ineffective antimalarials and artemisinin monotherapy.11 Where governments turn to international finance to purchase drugs -- whether from the Global Fund, the World Bank, bilateral donors, or others -- some restrictions are generally imposed to ensure that the drugs purchased are of good quality. All these institutions rely heavily on WHO's standards for cGMPs.
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From page 50... ...
The participants concluded that any one of the component phases of the business could be operated at a profit: growing artemisia, growing plus extracting artemisinin, producing artemisinin derivatives, and manufacturing ACTs. The workshop named the company Nigerian Anti-Malarials Ltd.
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From page 51... ...
Aside from China and Vietnam, significant artemisia production is under way in Kenya and Tanzania, and start-ups in Senegal, Madagascar, Ghana, and Cameroon have stated their intentions to manufacture ACTs for the African market. Furthermore, a Chinese producer recently informed the minister of health of its intention to manufacture ACTs in Nigeria, using artemisinin from undisclosed local sources.
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From page 52... ...
Furthermore, although the government has shown goodwill in addressing some of these problems for the ACTs market, there is a history of lack of implementation of government policies. growing Artemisia annua Growing artemisia could be a profitable opportunity for farmers.
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From page 53... ...
Manufacture of ACTs Several pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria are either presently marketing a combination therapy for malaria (consisting of two separate malaria drugs in blister packs) or stating their intention to manufacture ACTs.
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From page 54... ...
MOBILIZING SCIENCE-BASED ENTERPRISES IN NIGERIA population under age five, could make such a facility an attractive package. However much depends on the structure and application of the international subsidy for ACTs that is clearly in the works and the capability of the firm to achieve prequalification from WHO.
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