Research Documents
ISP Licensing — Per Country
All five countries require an ISP licence even for free/community internet. No country prohibits non-profits from obtaining licences.
Ghana (NCA) — Pilot Country
| Item | Details |
|---|
| Regulator | National Communications Authority (NCA) |
| Licence type | Internet/Public Data Service Authorisation |
| Categories | Nationwide, Rural, Hotspot (max 3 districts) |
| Best category | Rural (reduced fees) or Hotspot |
| Duration | 5 years, renewable |
| Foreign non-profit | Permitted; register as Ghanaian company |
Comparative Summary
| Country | ISP Fee | Starlink | Voltage |
|---|
| Ghana | Per NCA schedule | Yes | 230V/50Hz |
| Nigeria | Per NCC schedule | Yes | 230V/50Hz |
| Sierra Leone | Per NatCA schedule | Yes | 230V/50Hz |
| Liberia | Contact LTA | Yes | 120V/60Hz |
| The Gambia | ~$400 app / ~$1,050/yr | No | 230V/50Hz |
The Gambia is cheapest to enter (ISP Exclusive Rural at ~$400 application) but lacks Starlink.
Starlink Connectivity
Starlink Pricing by Country
| Country | Hardware | Monthly | Status |
|---|
| Ghana | $372 | $34–53 | Operational |
| Nigeria | $383–590 | $49 | Operational |
| Sierra Leone | $308 | $40 | Operational |
| Liberia | $300–600 est. | $40–55 est. | Operational |
| The Gambia | N/A | N/A | Not yet available |
Starlink delivers 50–150 Mbps down, 10–25 Mbps up, 25–50ms latency. The Gambia uses 4G LTE until Starlink available.
E-Waste Sourcing
Cost of Refurbished Equipment by Country
| Item | Ghana | Nigeria | Sierra Leone | Liberia | Gambia |
|---|
| Refurbished desktop | $50–150 | $50–200 | $80–200 | $80–250 | $80–200 |
| Used CRT monitor | $10–30 | $10–30 | $15–40 | $15–40 | $15–35 |
| Used LCD monitor | $30–80 | $25–80 | $40–80 | $40–90 | $40–80 |
18650 Battery Building
Cell Testing Protocol
- Visual inspection — Discard bulging, dented, rusted, or leaking cells
- Voltage check — Accept 3.2V–4.2V; discard <2.5V
- Internal resistance — Accept <100mΩ; reject >150mΩ
- Capacity test — Accept ≥60% rated capacity (≥1500mAh for 2500mAh cell)
- Self-discharge test — Charge to 4.1V, wait 2–4 weeks; discard if >0.1V drop
Community Center System — Full BOM
24V 500Ah system (8S200P, 1,600 cells) supporting cooking, refrigeration, and computing.
Battery Pack
| Item | Qty | Cost | Source |
|---|
| Recycled 18650 cells | 1,600 (8S200P) | $480–800 | E-waste |
| 8S BMS (200A+) | 1 | $45–80 | AliExpress |
| Cell holders | 400 | $40–60 | AliExpress |
| Nickel strip (10 rolls) | 10 | $60–100 | AliExpress |
| Kapton, fuses, wire, enclosures, bus bars | Various | $117–219 | Mixed |
| Battery pack total | | $742–1,253 | |
Solar Array
| Item | Qty | Cost | Source |
|---|
| Used poly. solar panels (300W) | 6 | $360–600 | Used panel market |
| 80A MPPT charge controller (24V) | 1 | $120–180 | AliExpress |
| MC4 connectors + cables | 1 set | $20–30 | AliExpress |
| Panel mounting hardware | 6 sets | $60–120 | Local + AliExpress |
| Solar array total | | $560–930 | |
Inverter & Distribution
| Item | Qty | Cost | Source |
|---|
| Pure sine wave inverter (3.5–5kW, 24V) | 1 | $150–300 | AliExpress/local |
| 24V→12V buck converter (30A) | 1 | $10–20 | AliExpress |
| USB converters, power strips, wiring | Various | $36–72 | Mixed |
| Inverter & distribution total | | $196–392 | |
Critical Design Notes
- The cooktop (1,000W) and microwave (1,200W) must run simultaneously. Peak load = 2,200W + fridge compressor surge (~750W). Minimum 3,500W inverter; 5,000W preferred.
- 24V DC refrigerator saves ~25% energy vs AC fridge through inverter. Seek 24V DC fridge for deployments.
- Induction cooktop is ~80% efficient vs 60% for resistive. Saves ~250Wh/day.
- Schedule cooking during peak solar hours (11:00–15:00) to reduce battery demand.