Design of a Solar-Powered Internet Kiosk for Rural Communities in Nsukka Local Government Area

Digital exclusion in rural communities surrounding Nsukka limits access to educational resources, government services, and economic information, exacerbating socioeconomic inequality in the region. This study designs a solar-powered internet kiosk for deployment in rural communities within Nsukka Local Government Area, providing shared broadband connectivity and basic digital services to underserved populations. The kiosk design integrates a 100-watt solar panel, deep-cycle battery storage, a charge controller, a wireless router with GSM SIM card broadband backup, and a low-power mini-PC running a curated offline content cache using KA-Lite. The design process encompassed energy audit calculations, component procurement, enclosure fabrication, and a three-week deployment trial in a rural community in Nsukka LGA. Results indicate that the kiosk sustained an average of nine hours of daily operation from solar energy alone, with GSM backup activating during peak overcast periods. Daily average user visits numbered 34, with educational content access accounting for 61 percent of usage. Battery autonomy during cloudy days averaged 6.2 hours without GSM supplementation. The study concludes that solar-powered internet kiosks offer an inclusive and sustainable model for bridging the digital divide in rural Southeast Nigeria. Recommendations include community management training and integration with state government digital literacy programs.