In regions like northern Ghana, many still rely on burning firewood for energy. Electricity is in high demand as more people migrate to urban areas. Salma Okonkwo and her company UBI Group plans to have the biggest solar farm on the African continent.
Okonkwo's decision to construct the energy farm came from her desire to create jobs for people in Ghana, especially "kayayei" women or head porters. These teens and young women migrated to escape poverty only to find work carrying loads of goods on their heads for a fee.
After completing her education in the U.S., Okonkwo returned to Ghana. When Sahara Energy turned down her proposals, she started focusing on bringing liquefied petroleum gas to remote regions.
Okonowo’s Blue Power Energy group is currently in the process of building two solar farms in Ghana with the goal of providing 3 million residents with 140 megawatts of clean energy by the end of 2023. When the project is completed in 2028, they hope to have built an additional 8 solar farms.
Bringing cheap, clean energy to northern Ghana is Okonkwo's final goal. She wants to show the world that it’s possible to be profitable but also protect the environment and local communities.