This paper (Design, Performance, and Economic Implications of a Solar Powered Smart Power Box) was inspired by the fact that the power outage in Nigeria has remained a troubling phenomenon that negatively impacts communication, productivity and other economic activities at the small scale. The proposed research seeks to develop and build a small, affordable, mobile, and solar-powered smart power box that could charge mobile phones, rechargeable light/fan and power banks and assess its technical and economic applicability. The questions that are answered throughout the study are whether a simple non-microcontroller based solar system can offer a reliable form of charging and whether such a system can minimize the reliance on grid electricity and commercial charging centres. Primary data were created by conducting experimental tests of a prototype system comprising of a 6V solar panel, TP4056 charging module, 3.7V lithium-ion battery and boost converter, where the performance information was recorded at different sunlight conditions during the 2024/2025 season. The quantitative analysis methods were descriptive and basic to assess the voltage stability, charging time, efficiency and operational reliability. It was found that the system provides a steady 5V output that can be used with USB, that the charging efficiency is reasonable, and that the system can be safely used in the real world. The results indicate a great economic advantage i.e. fewer expenses on energy to users, better access to power by the low-income and rural citizens and potential of small-scale entrepreneurship. Such policy suggestions can also be the advocacy of low-cost decentralized solar technologies, the encouragement of local manufacture of renewable energy devices, and the inclusion of small solar solutions in the rural electrification plans. JEL Classification Codes: Q42, Q48, O13, O33.
Abdulwahab et al. (Tue,) studied this question.