The Nigerian Government says it is working with international manufacturers to boost local solar panel production, strengthen quality control and make renewable energy more affordable to Nigerians.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, disclosed this while outlining government efforts to expand domestic manufacturing capacity before considering restrictions on imported solar panels.
Udeh said the government was engaging major global manufacturers, including companies in Turkey, with memoranda of understanding expected to be signed soon.
He stressed that restricting solar panel imports without sufficient local production capacity could increase prices and worsen access to affordable electricity.
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According to the Minister, the government was developing mechanisms to prevent substandard solar panels and components from entering the Nigerian market, ensuring that both locally manufactured and imported products meet required quality standards.
Skills Development
On skills development, Udeh identified the Barefoot Renewable Energy College as a key intervention for training artisans in solar manufacturing and installation, noting that a larger skilled workforce would improve installation capacity and help reduce costs.
He further highlighted the Renewed Hope Solarisation Project, implemented through the Energy Commission of Nigeria, to provide solar electricity to federal institutions, particularly academic institutions, and reduce their dependence on the national grid.
The groups also urged the government to extend the solarisation project to primary healthcare centres, schools and rural communities.
They said affordable solar energy remained crucial to addressing Nigeria’s electricity deficit and reducing dependence on expensive petrol and diesel generators.
The Solar Power Nigeria Campaign and the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, GIFSEP, have welcomed the government’s manufacturing-first approach, describing it as essential to protecting consumers while creating jobs and strengthening Nigeria’s industrial capacity.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the groups cautioned that an immediate import ban, before local manufacturers could meet domestic demand, could make solar products more expensive for households, businesses and public institutions.
Founder and Executive Director of GIFSEP, Dr. Michael David, urged the government to publish a time-bound renewable energy industrialisation roadmap, provide incentives and affordable financing for manufacturers, and enforce quality standards across the solar market.
He also called for the expansion of solar training programmes across the six geopolitical zones, particularly for women and young people.
Both the Minister and the advocacy groups maintained that expanding local production, strengthening quality assurance and preserving access to affordable imports would support job creation, energy security and a more inclusive renewable energy transition in Nigeria.
