Product Design of a Low-Cost Solar-Powered Study Lamp for Off-Grid Households in Plateau State

Access to reliable electricity remains a critical barrier to educational achievement for students residing in off-grid rural households across Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. This project documents the design and fabrication of an affordable solar-powered study lamp intended to extend productive study hours for secondary school students living without grid electricity. The lamp integrates a monocrystalline photovoltaic panel, a lithium-ion battery, and energy-efficient LED components within a robust, weather-resistant casing. Design constraints included a unit production cost below three thousand naira, ease of assembly using locally available components, and a minimum illumination output suitable for reading under standard examination conditions. Structured interviews with forty-two student households in Shendam and Pankshin local government areas informed requirements for portability, durability, and charging time. Iterative prototyping and user testing over six weeks refined the lamp's physical form, switch mechanism, and panel angle for optimal solar gain in the region's semi-arid conditions. User satisfaction surveys recorded an eighty-one percent approval rating for comfort of light and ease of operation. Energy output tests confirmed six to eight hours of continuous illumination per full charge. The project recommends collaboration with rural electrification agencies and state secondary education boards for large-scale distribution. This work demonstrates that industrial design can meaningfully address educational inequality through practical, low-cost innovation in underserved communities. Keywords: solar lamp, off-grid design, educational access, Plateau State, product development.