Dr. Olu Emmanuel, a veterinary surgeon and certified solar energy professional who serves as a deacon in Winners’ Chapel (Living Faith Church), says he has developed and received official certification for a solar-powered umbrella.
According to his testimony during the service on Sunday, which is circulating widely on social media, the idea came while he was carrying a standard umbrella as part of his protocol duties in the protocol unit of the church.
He describes it as a divine prompting to convert the umbrella into a solar-powered version. 
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After years of research and development, he began the formal certification process in 2023. He submitted the invention to the Intellectual Property Office in Abuja and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). In July 2026, SON reportedly certified the product.
“One day, God spoke to me, saying: “This umbrella you carry as part of your identity in the Protocol Unit—I want you to convert it into a solar-powered umbrella,” he testified in a report by Sermontimes.
“…I went into my workshop and began working on it. After much research and development, I successfully produced a solar-powered umbrella.”
Emmanuel states that this makes it the first certified solar-powered umbrella in Nigeria and, by extension, Africa.
Solar-powered umbrellas (with integrated panels, LED lights, and in some models USB charging ports or power banks) are established commercial products in other markets. They are widely sold as patio and outdoor market umbrellas on platforms such as Amazon in the United States and internationally.
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In Nigeria similar solar umbrellas are already sold on online shopping websites like Jumia. People can also get them through Amazon. However, No clear evidence exists of established Nigerian manufacturers producing solar-powered umbrellas at commercial scale.
An SON certification turns a personal invention into a market-ready, regulated product with official backing. It is a significant step beyond simply building a prototype.
If Emmanuel’s product is scaled, it would position him as an early local innovator in this niche.
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