By Kingsley Omonobi

An engineer and entrepreneur, Mr. Henry Dakpokpo, on Friday unveiled a modern, environmentally friendly mobile bakery known as the “Bread Box” in the Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory, aimed at meeting the bread needs of consumers while creating jobs across communities.

The mobile bakery—an innovation of Platterz Bakery—is equipped with green-powered machinery that enables on-the-spot bread production according to customer specifications. Completely powered by solar energy, it operates round-the-clock without relying on the national grid or diesel-powered generators, helping to significantly cut production costs and reduce bread prices.

Dakpokpo said the initiative was conceived to solve two major national challenges: unemployment and access to basic food needs.

“We discovered that rent and logistics costs make bread expensive in many communities. So we built a movable, containerised bakery that can operate anywhere, powered entirely by solar energy,” he explained.

“It helps us save costs, employ more young people, and bring bread closer to the people.”

He noted that the project goes beyond profit-making, emphasising its role in providing meaningful employment.

“Unemployment is at the root of many social problems — robbery, drug abuse, and other vices. If people are gainfully employed, they won’t have time for such activities,” he said.

Each Bread Box location, according to him, will employ 12 to 15 young people directly, and more indirectly through distribution channels. Platterz Bakery currently employs about 92 workers nationwide and plans to expand to ten Bread Box locations by the end of next year.

Dakpokpo described the Bread Box as a fully equipped bakery housed in a repurposed container and powered entirely by solar panels, enabling on-site dough mixing, baking, and packaging.

“It is mobile, clean, and environmentally friendly. We’re not on the national grid at all—everything runs on solar. Our dream is to see Nigerian youths engaged, empowered, and contributing meaningfully to the economy,” he said.

“If we can meet people’s daily needs while creating jobs, then we are truly building the nation from the grassroots.”

Residents in the Apo district have already begun to feel the impact. One of them, Mr. Bala Hasley, described the Bread Box as a timely innovation that makes fresh bread more accessible and affordable.

“I saw when they started building it; I didn’t know what it was. But now I come here in the evenings for fresh bread. It is convenient, affordable, and they employ people from our area,” he said.

Hasley added that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s push for inclusive economic growth through SMEs.

“That is how the economy should work—local production and local consumption. If government can support more of these innovations with grants or tax incentives, more people will be employed, and there will be less pressure on the cities,” he said.

He commended the bakery for maintaining high-quality production standards and urged them to sustain the quality as the project expands.