In a sign of growing appetite for clean energy amid persistent power challenges, Nigeria imported solar panels worth N242.68 billion during the first six months of 2025, according to fresh data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
This substantial outlay highlights the nation’s ongoing reliance on foreign-sourced renewable technologies, even as authorities ramp up initiatives to foster homegrown manufacturing and cut import dependency.
The statistics, released Tuesday and reviewed by this outlet, rank solar panels as a leading imported good. Imports of photovoltaic modules totaled N125.29 billion from January to March, followed by N117.39 billion in the April-to-June period, culminating in the half-year figure.
Notably, this represents a dip from the N237.3 billion spent in the last quarter of 2024, suggesting a possible easing in import volumes.
Government officials are doubling down on strategies to shift toward domestic supply chains. Abba Aliyu, head of the Rural Electrification Agency, highlighted a surge in local solar production capabilities, now at 600 megawatts annually—more than five times the prior 110-megawatt level.
Among the standout projects are a 100-megawatt factory in Lagos and a larger 250-megawatt site in Abuja, alongside operations in Idu and Port Harcourt, all aimed at bolstering national self-sufficiency.
Aliyu pointed to the expansion of the renewable sector, with over 50 firms now operating in the space, up from a mere handful just years ago. “We’re rewriting the story of energy in Nigeria,” he remarked. “Our local facilities can now meet the needs of the green energy shift.”
Echoing this momentum, Science and Technology Minister Uche Nnaji revealed in March plans for an executive directive to limit solar panel imports, emphasizing local content in technical sectors. He stressed that partnerships between the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and private sector players are already yielding enough output to satisfy internal markets.
Nigeria’s rich lithium reserves are also being tapped to support battery production, paving the way for reliable mini-grids in households, healthcare facilities, and public buildings. “I’ve run my own setup off-grid for three years now, and it’s proven reliable,” Nnaji shared.
Yet, not everyone supports a swift clampdown on imports. A recent analysis by global advisory group PricewaterhouseCoopers cautions that abrupt curbs could hinder energy rollout, deter funding, and trigger temporary gaps in availability.
Titled “Reassessing Nigeria’s Solar Import Strategy,” the PwC study praises the industrialization goals but urges a gradual taper-off over three to five years. It calls for supportive policies to help domestic producers grow, coupled with rigorous checks to block low-quality imports.
On the governmental front, the State House is leading by example with a new solar installation at its conference center, part of a broader pivot to self-reliant power. The 2025 budget earmarks N10 billion specifically for a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa, upping the site’s overall funding from N47.11 billion proposed to N57.11 billion approved.
This boost stems from a N10 billion jump in capital spending, to N43.55 billion total, with the solar initiative designed to wean the facility off the erratic national grid and offset rising electricity costs— a subtle nod to broader frustrations with the country’s power infrastructure.
