🎯 The business: used diesel generators bought from U.S. auctions and rental fleets, refurbished with a local mechanic, and sold to businesses in Lagos, Abuja, Accra and Kumasi, where the grid fails daily and American equipment is the trusted standard. Start as a broker who matches a buyer to a unit; carry inventory only when the buyers are proven. The full energy game plan is in this section.
Hotels, banks, hospitals, factories, telecom towers and apartment buildings, often through a local dealer or an agent who takes a commission. A refurbished 60 kVA unit that costs $8,000 to $14,000 to buy and recondition in the U.S. sells for $20,000 to $30,000 landed in Lagos. Buyers pay by letter of credit or in advance; never on open terms.
| Broker model (no inventory: match buyer to unit, take commission) | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| Inventory model: two gensets bought and refurbished | $20,000 to $30,000 |
| Website, listings, WhatsApp Business, tools | $600 |
| Inspection and mechanic per unit | $500 to $1,500 |
| Freight forwarder, inspection certificates, insurance per shipment | $2,500 to $5,000 |
Find three sources: an equipment auction house, a generator rental company that cycles its fleet, and a dealer who takes trade-ins. Find a diesel mechanic who will inspect and service units for a flat fee. Build a WhatsApp catalog with hour meters, service history and a video of each unit running under load. Contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Lagos and Accra; a Gold Key there puts you in front of vetted dealers. Quote everything landed, with the conformity certificate included.
As a broker, a 10 percent commission on a $25,000 unit is $2,500 per deal; four deals a month is a business with no capital at risk. With inventory, a unit bought at $9,000, refurbished for $1,500, shipped and certified for $4,000, and sold at $26,000 leaves about $11,000. Two units a month is strong; cash is the limit, because each unit ties up $15,000 for two to three months.
Destination conformity programs: Nigeria’s SONCAP and Ghana’s G-CAP require a pre-shipment inspection certificate for regulated goods, including generators, or the unit does not clear. Nigeria has restricted the import of some used goods and sets age and emission conditions; verify the current rules for generators before buying anything. On the U.S. side, generators are generally EAR99 and need no export license to Nigeria or Ghana, but screen the buyer against the restricted party lists. Get paid by letter of credit or in advance.
A unit that runs at the auction and fails under load in Lagos; the load test and the video protect you. Port delays and demurrage charges. A buyer who negotiates after the unit has shipped. Fraudulent inquiries, which are common; real buyers accept letters of credit. The exporters who last start as brokers, use a freight forwarder who knows West Africa, and work through one trusted dealer per country.