Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has launched the “Lucky Light Initiative,” a target-driven energy intervention designed to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable solar power to 1,000 small and medium-scale enterprises across the state’s 18 local government areas.
Unveiled at the 2026 Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) Entrepreneurs Summit held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome) in Akure, the governor clarified that the scheme is structured as a direct economic aid for commercial operators rather than a routine residential electrification drive.
Speaking on the theme, “The New Ondo: Positioning Entrepreneurs for Emerging Opportunities,” Aiyedatiwa emphasized that rising energy overheads directly strain small business output. He assured that the initial batch of the phased solar rollout will commence this year before expanding across all local councils.
”Electricity is not a luxury for small businesses; it is a critical component of production costs,” Aiyedatiwa stated. “Our responsibility as a government is to provide an environment where entrepreneurs can identify opportunities, access support, build sustainable enterprises, and create jobs.”
The governor outlined plans to transition Ondo State from an exporter of raw materials to a hub for value-added processing and packaging across key sectors, including agriculture, cocoa, tourism, the blue economy, solid minerals, renewable energy, and the creative industry.
As part of the summit highlights, 20 young entrepreneurs selected through the ‘ONDEA My IDEA’ business screening were awarded seed funding, equipment support packages, and structured mentorship.
In a further move to foster an investment culture, Governor Aiyedatiwa announced that the state government will acquire shares in the Dangote Group of Companies for 500 young entrepreneurs in Ondo State to promote long-term wealth creation.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele—represented by his Special Adviser, Toba Oyedele—noted that local business owners remain central to the Federal Government’s target of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Earlier in his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Investment, Dr. Summy Smart Francis, charged young business owners to operate with discipline and operational speed. Francis highlighted ONDEA’s recent administrative reforms, including a mandatory 48-hour response window for official correspondence, aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays for local enterprises.
The summit was attended by top government officials, including Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, Secretary to the State Government Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, Chief of Staff Prince Segun Omojuwa, Head of Service Chief Olusegun Odusanya, alongside media executive Morayo Afolabi-Brown, who called for expanded private-sector investments across the Southwest region beyond Lagos State.
