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By Ebunoluwa Sessou

For more than 10 years, Olubusola Oyebadejo has been heading a power solutions company called Powergen Engineering Limited, a company that provides total solutions for all energy needs.

In this Interview, Oyebadejo talks about how she has managed to change the game in the industry.

For over 10 years, your company has been actively involved in power solutions infrastructure management and real estate support services, what is the story?

Truly, the company was set up as a consulting business to help clients in need of power advisory at the time but within a short period, we grew into a full alternative power solutions services. We were able to discover some gaps in this area of service and we filled the gap to satisfy our customers who believed in us.

We started with advisory and sales of generators as backup alternative solutions and gradually, we included the solar and inverter solutions based on demand in the market.

As the business grew, we included sales of transformers and electrical installations such as rural electrification and installation of transformers and dedicated feeders. With our huge involvement with the real estate sector, we partnered majorly with developers to proffer the best solutions that suit the project models such as BOOT power management arrangement and others. This has helped tremendously in reducing pressure on some developers and equally kept us in business with the sector.

We finally introduced low voltage products and lighting solutions to our product offerings considering that these are products in high demand by companies we do business with so we can be that one-stop shop to solve your power and electrical needs. I would say resilience and consistency are key and ensuring that we source opportunities that will keep the brand going.

How have you managed to survive as a woman leading a company like Powergen Engineering in a male-dominated field?

By trying so hard not to display any form of gender emotions on the job. On the job, we categorize everyone as equal and the team has come to accept me on the field knowing that what a man can do, a woman can do even better.

How has your company changed the game in the engineering sector?

Through our continuous creativity and diversification, we tend to provide services beyond our clients’ imagination which keeps them returning and referring us to others. We often infuse creativity and flexibility into our product offering which our customers appreciate.

What are some of the challenges you face?

There have been several challenges that we often find ways to overcome. Some of them are unstable government policies, inflation and regular price changes. Poor human capital issues, very high bank charges etc. Some of these are results of our country’s economy but we will keep putting in our best to improve and surmount these challenges.

What can be done to encourage more women to take up roles in government in Nigeria?

I will advise the government to keep providing soft landings for the female gender, starting from our schools. Encourage more ladies to take on engineering and technology courses, provide scholarships for technical courses to encourage women, erase the stereotype that such jobs are for men only.  Women tend to bring creativity into such business environments.

What business lessons did you learn along the way in building Powergen Engineering?

I learned a lot over the past years but two major lessons to share here are; consistency and integrity are very vital in business. Never go into business without those two ingredients. They will sustain you as you go along.

You need human beings to sustain a good business so maintain good human relationships and never burn bridges.

Now, when you decided to establish Powergen Engineering in 2008, were you ever afraid of how you will succeed?

Yes,  that’s a typical experience for entrepreneurs when starting your business. Yes, I was scared but I remained focused. Most times the fear of the unknown, banks are not willing to hear you or support your proposals for lack of business history forgetting you have to start somewhere. Companies don’t know the name so they may not consider you. But all thanks to friends and family who believed in our capability and gave us the platform to operate without fear. We enjoyed bill collections and several support that the brand leveraged to grow.

In the next 10 years, what are you bringing to the table?

In the next decade, we expect to see the company achieve or be closer to fulfilling its vision as an independent power provider with automated solutions where you can book your services just like what Uber does today from the comfort of your home.