Ikogosi Resort saves N513m through renewable energy |

Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort says its investment in renewable energy has generated savings of more than N513 million in energy costs as the facility intensifies expansion, environmental sustainability, and long-term destination development efforts.

The General Manager of Glocient Hospitality, Olanrewaju Balogun, made the disclosure during a meeting with newsmen on Sunday.

This was at the ongoing three-day media immersion at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ikogosi, Ekiti State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Glocient Hospitality, the hospitality arm of Cavista Holdings, serves as the operator, investor, and development manager of the resort under a concession arrangement with the Ekiti State Government.

The company’s mandate is to revive and reposition Ikogosi into a sustainable and profitable destination through hospitality management, infrastructure renewal, improved guest experience, and destination branding.

Balogun outlined how renewable energy and reinvestment had become central to repositioning the resort.

He said the resort invested about $200,000 in solar infrastructure to reduce dependence on diesel and strengthen operational efficiency across the property.

According to him, the resort now runs significantly on renewable energy, with solar supporting operations for about 12 hours daily, and reducing pressure on conventional power sources.

Also Read:

Balogun said internal energy analysis carried out by the company showed major reductions in operating costs after benchmarking against diesel consumption under generator-powered operations.

He said: “Now we’ve invested close to $200,000 in renewable energy and this serves us 12 hours every day.

“The savings we are making with the benchmark of our 500 kVA is over half a billion in a year.

“And that benchmark was done with our 500 kVA generator running for 10 hours savings alone.

“When we did the financial analysis over the years, over one year, 365 days, we’ll be making savings of over half a billion Naira.”

The General Manager said the savings had strengthened the resort’s ability to reinvest in growth rather than divert resources into recurring fuel expenses.

Balogun said the company had continued expanding accommodation capacity, upgrading operational systems, and scaling renewable infrastructure.

“Also a hospitality ecosystem that integrates agriculture, environmental stewardship and local employment,” he added.

He noted that more than 230 people had been employed at the resort, with nearly 70 percent women and more than 60 percent recruited from surrounding communities.

Speaking on security, Balogun noted that it was not as bad as perceived on social media, adding that the state government had been supportive in terms of accessibility.

He said: “We have two airports.

“We have an airport in Aso, less than 50 minutes from Ikogosi.

“We have an airport in Akure, that’s also less than 50 minutes.”

Earlier, during a tour of the resort, the Communications and Community Engagement Manager, Stephen Ademiluwa, said sustainability at Ikogosi extended beyond energy into environmental restoration and visitor experience.

According to Ademiluwa, nearly 300 species of trees have been identified within the resort’s forest park and will be tagged with botanical, local, and economic descriptions to support education and conservation.

He noted that redevelopment accelerated after Glocient Hospitality moved into the facility in December 2022.

“Within 24 days, the renovation team of Glocient Hospitality worked 24, seven, and 60 out of the 92 rooms that were buried dead and came alive within 24 days,” he said.

He added that the transformation involved rebuilding guest facilities, introducing extensive landscaping, preserving mature trees, planting new species, and creating recreational assets designed to improve the overall resort experience.

According to the Facility Manager, Okon John, the solar infrastructure currently powers the resort through integrated battery storage and automated energy switching systems.

John said: “Currently, the resort is on the system.

“Currently, all through the day, we will be on the solar.

“That’s about 12 hours.

“And then we have the battery taking those for at least five hours for the night, depending on the load.”

John added that the backup generator activates automatically when battery levels drop, allowing guests to experience uninterrupted power supply across the resort.

[wpadcenter_ad id=’745970′ align=’none’]