Nigeria's Solar Capacity Surges Amid Ongoing Power Crisis

In 2025, Nigeria installed 803 megawatts of new solar capacity, marking a 141% increase from the previous year and bringing the cumulative capacity to nearly 1.19 gigawatts. This growth has positioned Nigeria as Africa’s second-largest importer of solar panels, following South Africa.

However, the national grid remains inadequate, averaging just over 4,100 MW of the 13,625 MW installed capacity, failing to meet the needs of over 200 million people. By 2024, only about 62.5% of Nigerians had electricity access, leaving over 80 million unserved.

The financial health of the power sector is weak, with over N10 trillion in public interventions over 13 years failing to improve supply sustainably. Israel Izuchukwu, a solar accessories dealer in Jikwoyi, Abuja, noted that the increase in solar imports reflects a shift towards private solar adoption due to persistent blackouts and high diesel costs.

While solar solutions are becoming essential, experts caution that they cannot resolve the systemic issues plaguing Nigeria's power sector.