06:00, 12 June 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Ashden celebrates its 25th anniversary awards with some amazing talents from the UK and around the world. The Ashden Awards celebrate pioneering climate solutions and social impact initiatives tackling the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Each year, they honour innovators advancing clean energy, sustainability, and equity in communities around the globe.
Smiley News had the pleasure of interviewing Habiba Ali, Founder of Sosai Renewable Energies (Sosai REN) to hear about their work and how she feels winning an Ashden award.
Last night Habiba Ali, founder and CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies, took home the Breaking Barriers Award - Global South, in recognition of Sosai REN’s trailblazing work delivering clean energy solutions and empowering women in some of northern Nigeria’s rural communities.
Habiba described the win as both surprising and meaningful: “I was so excited when I found out. After applying several times and not making it, I didn’t think we would win this year. But this award truly means a lot, it validates the work we’ve been doing for the past 15 years.”
For over a decade, Sosai REN has been transforming lives through the distribution of solar lanterns and solar home systems, while implementing their Climate Smart Village model. This model focuses on replacing diesel-powered milling machines and irrigation pumps with solar-powered alternatives, significantly cutting carbon emissions.
“We’re creating solutions that work in rural, climate-vulnerable communities,” Habiba explained.
Sosai REN’s work has reached over 2.5 million people, with more than 250 women currently involved in using and distributing energy products.
Habiba’s personal motivation is deeply rooted in her own lived experience. After losing her sister to health complications linked to indoor smoke, she was struck by the dangers of cooking on open fires and using kerosene lanterns.
She said: “I knew I had to do something. That’s when I started selling solar lanterns to replace kerosene lamps and worked on improving cook stoves.”
Though the path wasn’t easy, especially as a woman leading in a male-dominated sector, Habiba stuck true to her infectious perseverance and earned widespread respect.
Her mission goes beyond technology, placing women at the heart of climate solutions. “Women own their businesses now. They’re earning, taking care of their children which is increasing their quality of life in communities affected by insurgency and kidnapping,” she noted.
Currently, Sosai is spearheading their High Energy Programme, in partnership with the Women Chamber of Commerce and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria. The initiative supports women entrepreneurs with access to affordable solar energy solutions and flexible repayment plans, with a pilot involving five local companies.
Habiba strongly believes women must be central to the fight against climate change, while also empowering them to make a better life for themselves and their communities.
With the support of the Ashden Awards, Sosai is poised to scale its impact further.
“Thank you for this opportunity. It means the world to share our story,” Habiba said. Her journey stands as a beacon for inclusive, community-led climate action—lighting the way toward a cleaner, more equitable future.
To learn more about Sosai Renewable Energies, visit their website here and if you want to support their mission, they want to expand their pool of interest-free investors, you can reach out to support their mission.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Ashden This UK-based charity supports and celebrates pioneering climate solutions through its annual awards and year-round programmes. It focuses on accelerating clean energy, sustainability, and social impact worldwide. Support them here.
Solar Sister. This charity empowers women in Africa to become clean energy entrepreneurs, selling solar lamps and clean cookstoves in their communities. Find out more.
ENERGIA – International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy. This is a global network that integrates gender into energy access programs and policies supporting women in the process. Learn more here.
This article aligns with the UN Clean and Affordable Energy, Reduced Inequalities.
