Kofa, Africa’s leading battery-swapping network re-engineering how people access green energy, has officially launched a one-year partnership with The Revival Earth, a Ghanaian non-profit organization committed to tackling textile waste and promoting a culture of upcycling.
The collaboration, unveiled during a two-day activation at Kantamanto Market on September 19–20, 2025, aims to provide local businesses with clean, reliable energy solutions while fostering a community of makers and traders who champion reuse, circularity, and sustainability at the heart of Ghana’s largest second-hand market.
Kantamanto Market receives approximately 15 million second-hand garments each week, much of it imported from Western countries. Up to 40% of these bales are unsellable due to poor quality or damage, fueling a growing textile waste crisis in Accra. Discarded clothing clogs drainage systems, overburdens landfills, and pollutes the ocean.
At the same time, thousands of traders and tailors repairing, repurposing, and reselling used clothing face another challenge: access to affordable and reliable power. In areas with limited or no grid access, many businesses depend on petrol or diesel generators, often spending GHS 80–100 daily on fuel. These generators release harmful fumes in enclosed spaces, generate noise pollution, and break down frequently, cutting productivity and driving up operating costs.
In response, Kofa has installed a battery swap station directly inside Kantamanto, offering traders a clean, quiet, and cost-effective energy alternative. With Kofa’s battery-swapping technology, small businesses can now power sewing machines, lighting, fans, and other tools without the health, environmental, and financial burdens of fuel generators. The Revival Earth will operate the swap station and receive training to manage day-to-day operations, ensuring skills transfer, local ownership, and long-term impact.
“Clean energy should be accessible to everyone, not just a few,” said Erik Nygard, CEO of Kofa. “Our swap station in the heart of Kantamanto gives traders a safer, cheaper, and more reliable way to power their work. No fumes, no noise, just clean energy. The Revival Earth is the perfect partner because they’re already turning waste into opportunity. We are proud to support their mission with the power they need to keep going.”
The two-day launch event also introduced the The Revival Earth Showroom & Atelier, a new creative space powered entirely by Kofa batteries. Market visitors and partners experienced live upcycling demonstrations, interactive installations, and learned how clean energy can support circular fashion.
The Revival Earth also launched its Upcycling Club, a grassroots initiative uniting young creatives, traders, and tailors committed to rethinking waste through craft and collaboration.
“At The Revival Earth, we believe waste is a resource, not a problem,” said Yayra David Agbofah, founder of The Revival Earth. “This partnership allows us to power our work sustainably and build a creative space where tailors, artists, and traders can come together to rethink what’s possible with what others throw away. Kofa brings more than just energy; they bring the kind of practical, forward-thinking solutions that markets like Kantamanto urgently need.”
Over the next 12 months, Kofa and The Revival Earth will scale this pilot with regular workshops, expanded access to battery-swapping services, and trader outreach to highlight the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy. The project aims to demonstrate a scalable model that can be replicated in other informal markets across Ghana and beyond.
