Harnessing E-Waste for Sustainable Solar Solutions in Africa: The Startup Journey of Dozie Igweilo and QuadLoop

The document details the journey of Dozie Igweilo and his company, QuadLoop, which addresses energy poverty and e-waste in Nigeria. By sourcing materials from formal and informal waste networks, QuadLoop produces the IDunnu solar lantern—composed of 70% e-waste—and offers a Battery-as-a-Service model for other solar firms. The case study highlights the company's iterative product design process, its reliance on personal savings and a USD 10,000 Shell Foundation grant, and its commitment to local youth employment. It also identifies systemic barriers to African innovation, including high electricity costs, expensive international shipping, and high customs duties on components like printed circuit boards.

• QuadLoop utilizes Nigeria's high volume of electronic waste to source raw materials, such as batteries and wires, reducing the reliance on expensive imported components.
• The company's flagship product, the IDunnu solar lantern, is manufactured using 70% repurposed e-waste and 30% virgin materials to provide lighting and phone charging for off-grid areas.
• QuadLoop operates a Battery-as-a-Service model that provides other solar companies with affordable repurposed batteries, helping them mitigate high foreign exchange rates and import costs.
• The startup's growth was supported by personal savings from the founder's previous work as a telecom engineer and a USD 10,000 grant from the Shell Foundation’s Holland programme.
• QuadLoop focuses on local job creation by hiring and training youth from the surrounding community, currently employing six full-time staff and two interns.
• Significant logistical and policy barriers hinder the scaling of African hardware startups, including high customs duties on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and inefficient international shipping costs.
• The company aims to expand its operations into Mozambique and Tanzania within five years, establishing local manufacturing hubs to process regional e-waste and scale production to 10,000 lanterns annually.

APA

Ashraf, M. (2025). Harnessing E-Waste for Sustainable Solar Solutions in Africa: The Startup Journey of Dozie Igweilo and QuadLoop. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/harnessing-e-waste-for-sustainable-solar-solutions-in-africa-the-startup-journey-of-dozie-igweilo-and-quadloop

Chicago

Ashraf, Manar. Harnessing E-Waste for Sustainable Solar Solutions in Africa: The Startup Journey of Dozie Igweilo and QuadLoop. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/harnessing-e-waste-for-sustainable-solar-solutions-in-africa-the-startup-journey-of-dozie-igweilo-and-quadloop.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ashraf |first1=Manar |title=Harnessing E-Waste for Sustainable Solar Solutions in Africa: The Startup Journey of Dozie Igweilo and QuadLoop |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=18 June 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/harnessing-e-waste-for-sustainable-solar-solutions-in-africa-the-startup-journey-of-dozie-igweilo-and-quadloop |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ashraf2025harnessing, author = {Ashraf, Manar}, title = {{Harnessing E-Waste for Sustainable Solar Solutions in Africa: The Startup Journey of Dozie Igweilo and QuadLoop}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://afripoli.org/harnessing-e-waste-for-sustainable-solar-solutions-in-africa-the-startup-journey-of-dozie-igweilo-and-quadloop}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }