ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Nigeria has secured about $425m in investments in 2025 to establish eight renewable energy manufacturing facilities, part of a broader push to boost local solar panel production and position the country as a clean energy manufacturing hub in West Africa.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, disclosed this during a webinar hosted by the African Association of Energy Journalists and Publishers, where he pointed to rising investor confidence in Nigeria’s renewable energy space.
He noted that the inflows reflect the success of targeted government policies aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity and attracting private sector funding.
“We have moved from about 120 megawatts of local manufacturing capacity to roughly 300 megawatts today, with 3.7 gigawatts in the pipeline.
“This is based on a deliberate strategy to build investor confidence and attract private capital into the sector,” he said.
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Aliyu explained that the expanding manufacturing base is already opening up export opportunities, with solar panels produced locally now being shipped from Lagos to Accra, Ghana an indication of Nigeria’s growing role as a regional production hub.
“For the first time, Nigeria is producing solar panels locally, and they are already being exported. This shows the direction we are heading and the leadership role Nigeria can play in West Africa,” Aliyu said.
He added that the country’s renewable energy drive goes beyond manufacturing, incorporating regulatory reforms designed to enhance project viability and encourage greater investor participation.
The REA boss also revealed that Nigeria’s evolving electricity access framework is attracting attention across Africa, with several countries exploring its model.
“Countries like Mozambique, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, and Mauritius are engaging with us to understand our framework,” he said.
Aliyu described Nigeria’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up programme as the largest publicly funded renewable energy access initiative globally, aimed at expanding electricity access to millions through mini-grids and private sector involvement.
“The project is designed around the private sector using a results-based financing model. Developers must mobilise their own capital before accessing incentives,” he said.
He added that the $750m programme is expected to unlock an additional $1.1bn in private sector investment, backed by financial institutions and development partners, including Citibank Nigeria, Lotus Bank, and the International Finance Corporation.