In a country where over 90 million people lack reliable electricity, solar energy is becoming more than just an alternative—it’s a lifeline.
For small business owners, middle-class families, and even large corporations, the unreliability of Nigeria’s national grid has made solar power not just an environmental choice but an economic necessity.
While government officials debate multi-billion-naira energy budgets, like the controversial N10 billion allocated for solar panels at the Presidential Villa, ordinary Nigerians are taking matters into their own hands.
For them, solar energy isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Read also: Assessing the implications of Nigeria’s ban on solar panel imports
Solar: The rising alternative
In residential areas, rooftop solar panels are becoming a common sight. Companies like Lumos and Arnergy offer pay-as-you-go solar systems, allowing customers to pay in instalments. For many, it’s a better deal than buying diesel every day.
Adebayo Ogunlesi, who runs a popular food vendor in Ikeja, recalled the days when his business relied solely on the national grid and a diesel generator.
“Every month, I spent nearly N250,000 on Band A electricity supply,” he said, while attending to his customers. “Sometimes, the power would go out five times in a single day. My business would stand idle, my workers would sit idle, and customers would get frustrated.”
Last year, Ogunlesi took out a loan to install a solar hybrid system. Now, his food vendor business runs smoothly, powered by sunlight during the day and stored energy at night. His diesel expenses have dropped by 80 percent.
“It was expensive at first, but now I see it was worth it,” he said. “The grid is still unstable, but at least I’m not burning money on fuel anymore.”
“Before, I was spending N75,000 weekly on fuel for my generator,” said Funke Adeleke, a tailor in Lekki Phase 1. “Now, I pay N15,000 monthly for my solar system. I have light all day, and my business runs without interruptions.”
Even large industries are making the shift. A major Lagos-based bakery recently switched to a solar-gas hybrid system, cutting its energy costs by 40 percent.
“We couldn’t rely on the grid, and diesel was eating into our profits,” the company’s operations manager, who asked not to be named, said. “Solar was the logical choice.”
Cost of solar
BusinessDay’s findings show that the cost of imported solar systems in Nigeria ranges from N400,000 for a basic setup to N20 million for a comprehensive off-grid solution, catering to varying energy demands and degrees of self-sufficiency.
Basic systems (N400,000) offer an affordable entry into solar energy, while more sophisticated configurations deliver higher long-term savings. For instance, Juwon Adesanya, a social media strategist, spent N4 million in 2024 on a 5kva solar setup, complete with six 400w panels and a 5.12kWh lithium battery, which runs multiple household appliances like TVs, freezers, laptops, and a washing machine.
For higher energy needs, premium systems (N10 million –N30 million) ensure near-complete grid independence. A N10 million–N20 million 10kva hybrid system, equipped with a 10kWh inverter, 10kWh battery, and 9kWh solar panels, can power microwaves, multiple fans, and TVs with 12–15 hours of backup.
The top-tier option, a N30 million 15kva system, includes a 12kw inverter, 33kWh battery capacity, and 11kw solar panels, capable of supporting three air conditioners and deep freezers at once while providing 15 hours of backup, making it suitable for both residential and commercial use.
Nigeria’s power crisis is no secret
Nigeria’s electricity problem is not that power is expensive, it’s that it is unreliable. The country generates between 4,000mw and 5,000mw for a population of over 200 million people, a fraction of what is needed.
But even this meagre supply is marred by frequent outages, forcing homes and businesses to depend on backups.
A 2023 report estimated that Nigerians spent over N1.2 trillion on backup generators—mostly diesel and petrol-powered—in just one year. Diesel alone costs more than twice the price of grid electricity, making it unsustainable for many.
“The real issue isn’t generation,” Tunde Adebayo, senior research analyst with Sofidam Capital, said. “It’s transmission and distribution. Even if we double power generation today, the Discos (distribution companies) cannot deliver it consistently. So businesses and households are forced to spend fortunes on alternatives.”
Read also: Aso Rock solar plan amplifies national grid failure
Aso Rock’s solar shift sparks debate
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to power parts of Aso Rock with solar energy has sent a strong signal to the nation.
Analysts argue that if the seat of power relies on solar, ordinary Nigerians and businesses may have little choice but to follow suit.
According to Collins Nweke, a former green councillor at Ostend City Council, Belgium, the move highlights the failures of the national electricity supply system and raises questions about whether privatisation has truly improved power availability.
Despite billions invested in the power sector since privatisation in 2013, blackouts remain frequent, forcing households and industries to depend on expensive diesel generators. Nweke noted that the country’s electricity grid collapses multiple times yearly, leaving millions in the dark.
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) described the decision to migrate the electricity power supply system in the Presidential Villa to solar system as an admission of the inefficiency and incompetence of the federal government.
A statement by Emmanuel Onwubiko, group national coordinator, said: “The reason of cost as a factor in deciding on this solar power supply project shows that this federal government is aware that the costs passed on to the unfortunate citizens still hooked on to the National Grid by the sets of opportunistic entrepreneurs running the DisCos, is not only unsustainable but fraudulent.’’
Can solar power the future?
Solar energy is not yet cheap enough to replace the grid entirely, but for many Nigerians, it is the most viable backup. Experts suggest that a combination of gas-powered generators and solar hybrids could be the immediate solution, while the government works on fixing distribution.
For now, the ‘gospel of solar’ continues to spread. Churches, mosques, and schools are installing panels.
Tech hubs and startups are running entirely on renewable energy. And with each blackout, more Nigerians are asking, why keep paying for grid electricity that doesn’t work – when solar gives light every day?
“Solar is no longer just for the rich or the environmentally conscious. It’s for anyone who is tired of darkness,” Aisha Mohammed, an energy analyst at the Lagos-based Center for Development Studies, said.
