BusinessDay reported Nov. 1 that Nigerian partners have signed rooftop-solar frameworks exceeding 600 megawatts, while industry leaders cited financing, project development and technical capacity as obstacles to turning agreements into operating projects.
At a Lagos press briefing before the 2026 Renewable Energy Forum Africa (REFA), Benjamin Clark, director of operations for the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA), put Nigeria’s operating solar base at about 620 megawatts, the highest in West Africa. Annual additions rose from 15 megawatts in 2019 to 123 megawatts in 2024, Clark said.
Clark said the signed frameworks represent more than 600 megawatts of rooftop capacity, intended for factories, commercial properties and homes. He said Nigeria’s solar market could grow further in 2026. Separately, he said new projects and partnerships were expected to expand electricity access.
Alpha ESS’ West Africa technical services manager, Ololade Raji, said investors need viable project economics, practical payment arrangements and local engineers able to satisfy technical standards.
Olamide Niyi-Afuye, chief executive of the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA), said connecting about 150 million people through African mini-grids would require $28 billion to $46 billion in investment. He said planning should consider the work electricity can support, including farm-product processing, cold storage and local manufacturing.
Esther Eyenobong, sales manager at Jinko Solar Nigeria, said local partners and technical support after installation help keep solar systems reliable over time.
EconoTimes reported in October that the federal government commissioned a one-megawatt Gombe mini-grid on Oct. 17. The facility serves 6,028 connections, and the government started four additional projects planned to add 16 megawatts.
BusinessDay said organizers set REFA 2026 for Nov. 25 and 26 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, with the Rural Electrification Agency as patron. The outlet described the forum as a place for investors, project developers and technology providers to meet.
