Nigerian homes and streets are quieter as more solar panels fill up rooftops to replace generators that have long been the mainstay of household power supply in a country plagued by an erratic grid.Years of unreliable electricity and the ceaseless hum of diesel generators have defined daily life for many Nigerians, offering stable power at the expense of rising costs, a constant background din and suffocating fumes.
But as fuel prices soar and electricity tariffs climb steeply, a growing number of households and businesses in Nigeria are switching to solar power to fend off blackouts.
Tellingly, Nigeria edged into fifth place in Africa for solar installations in 2024, with a total installed capacity exceeding 112 megawatts (MW), a staggering 2,700% increase from 2014, according to Statista figures.
This reflects broader trends across Africa, where the adoption of off-grid renewable energy solutions continues to gain momentum in states like Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola. A massive private rollout of solar power in South Africa has been widely lauded for ending blackouts in that country.
McKinsey forecasts that solar energy will continue to soar in Africa after 2030, accounting for 8% of the generation mix by 2040 and driving over 30% of capacity additions between 2030 and 2040.
The transition comes as solar startups in Nigeria race to fill the opportunity offered by the nation’s erratic national grid, mirroring similar private sector activity in South Africa.
In 2024, Nigerian electricity tariffs rose by 40%, impacting businesses and households, while the price of diesel, a common backup fuel, surged from ₦350 ($0.23) to ₦1,200 ($0.78) per litre, marking a significant increase from 2022.
Grid power, notoriously nicknamed “NEPA” a holdover from the defunct National Electric Power Authority, remains unreliable, leaving 43% of the population off-grid.
In recent months, however, solar panels have become a constant feature of rooftops in Lagos, Abuja and major towns, as more Nigerians than ever install them to light their homes and power their businesses.
What began as a workaround a few years ago has matured into one of the country’s most promising business opportunities, with startups stepping in to capitalise on the growing energy crisis.
SunFi, which raised $2.3 million in seed funding in 2023, has become a lynchpin for households and SMEs. Its platform lets users lease panels or pay via subscriptions, bypassing steep upfront costs.
“Walk any street, and 30-40% of rooftops have solar,” SunFi CEO Rotimi Thomas told WeeTracker, a Pan-African research and media company focused on startups.
The company has deployed over 1,500 systems, targeting Nigeria’s 100 million underserved citizens.
Competitor Arnergy, backed by US$3 million in funding, reports sales doubling this year as businesses ditch diesel. In rural Akwa Ibom State, mini-grid operator Prado Power has electrified villages like Mbiabet, where solar-powered cold storage now preserves fish catches – a lifeline for local traders.
Last December, Winock Solar, one of Nigeria’s renewable energy leaders, partnered with Cola Solar, a Chinese clean energy company, in a bid to deliver solar generators to 100 million Nigerians over the next five years.
This collaboration targets underserved communities and small businesses, areas traditionally reliant on generators, offering standalone systems that provide reliable power and reduce dependency on diesel.
Africa as a whole is set to double its solar capacity to 23 GW by 2028, fueled by subsidies and peer-driven adoption across households and businesses.
While rooftop solar first gained traction in the suburbs of Kenya and South Africa, with uptake particularly strong among wealthier households, the trend is now spreading to low-income and rural areas, where solar lighting is in high demand. The Global Solar Council forecasts solar capacity in Africa will surge from 19.2 GW in 2024 to 42.2 GW by 2028, with installations expected to grow 42% annually in 2025.
Despite these gains, Africa’s solar potential remains largely untapped. Analysts highlight the need to expand this resource to meet climate goals and triple renewable energy capacity.
By 2025, 18 African nations are expected to install at least 100MW annually, up from just 2MW in 2024.
bird story agency
