Nigeria is emerging as a focal point for renewable energy production and the leading manufacturing hub in the West African sub‑region, according to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr. Abba Aliyu. He said the country has significantly localised its renewable energy value chain, with installed solar panel manufacturing capacity increasing from 120 megawatts two years ago to around 300 megawatts today, an expansion of about 150 per cent. With an additional 3.7 gigawatts in the pipeline, Aliyu noted that Nigeria is now poised to supply solar products across the region.
Speaking at a webinar organised by the African Association of Energy Journalists and Publishers (AJERAP), Aliyu traced this progress to the federal government’s “Nigeria First Policy,” which prioritises local content and domestic manufacturing under President Bola Tinubu. He highlighted that 2025 was a defining year for the country’s solar industry, with imports of solar cells and components for local assembly reaching 837 megawatts, more than the cumulative 375 megawatts imported in all prior years combined, while surpassing finished‑product imports. He described this as a clear sign that the policy is driving a structural shift toward home‑grown manufacturing in the renewables sector.
Aliyu revealed that about 425 million dollars in investment is earmarked for the establishment of eight renewable energy manufacturing facilities across the country, reinforced by additional commitments secured at the Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum (NREIF) 2025. These investments are helping to build an integrated ecosystem covering manufacturing, deployment and financing, while creating the scale needed for long‑term sustainability. He added that large‑scale REA programmes such as the Energising Education Programme and the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale‑Up initiative are now providing the predictable demand that keeps domestic production aligned with real market opportunities.
The REA chief also pointed to evolving regulatory support, noting that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has expanded the framework for Distributed Energy Resources, enabling projects of up to 10 megawatts under decentralised and interconnected mini‑grid structures. This, he said, is opening new avenues for private‑sector participation in off‑grid and rural electrification.
Aliyu highlighted that Nigeria’s growing regional potential is already taking shape, with locally manufactured solar panels being exported from Lagos to Accra, Ghana, signalling a shift from renewable energy consumer to regional supplier. He added that solar deployments in border communities could support cross‑border electricity trade, strengthening regional integration and energy security.
He noted that Nigeria’s electrification model is gaining recognition across the continent, with several countries including Mozambique, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mauritania and Mauritius engaging the REA to replicate aspects of its approach. The upcoming NREIF 2.0, he said, will focus on regional integration and on positioning Nigeria as a central hub for renewable energy manufacturing, innovation and trade in Africa. Aliyu concluded that the country’s progress reflects a broader shift from isolated project‑based interventions to a fully integrated renewable energy ecosystem, anchored on local manufacturing, scalable deployment and regional partnerships.