When Chidi Okonkwo, a businessman who depends on photo voltaic panels to maintain his grocery store working, first heard of the federal government’s plan to ban photo voltaic panel imports. He likened it to “outlawing umbrellas through the heaviest rains.”

In a rustic the place the nationwide grid provides only some hours of electrical energy a day, photo voltaic power has been her lifeline. It powers small companies, lights properties, and retains important medical tools working in rural clinics.

For a lot of, photo voltaic power is just not a luxurious, however a necessity. It powers small companies, lights properties, and retains important medical tools working in rural clinics.

Learn additionally: Nigeria’s photo voltaic trade sees unprecedented development, however affordability stays a problem

The federal authorities is enjoying the Presidential Government Order No. 5 card which prioritises native content material in science, engineering, and expertise sectors.

Uche Nnaji, the minister of science and expertise argued that Nigeria is making vital investments in renewable power infrastructure and might meet its photo voltaic power wants regionally.

“We now have lithium in abundance right here in Nigeria, so Mr. President is already taking motion. The lithium we’ve will likely be processed and used as batteries for electrical automobiles,” he acknowledged.

However power specialists mentioned the plan is paying homage to August 2019 when Nigeria closed its land borders altogether to stamp out smuggling, typically from neighbouring Benin, with rice being one of many essential targets.

5 years later, meals costs in Nigeria have been rising and have proven no signal of declining, regardless of the reopening of the land borders, as farmers are grappling with extra challenges.

“They know the costs will go up; the value of photo voltaic panels in Nigeria is already excessive, and a ban on imports may make them much more costly,” Aisha Mohammed, an power analyst on the Lagos-based Middle for Growth Research mentioned.

Mohammed added, “This might make it troublesome for a lot of Nigerians to afford photo voltaic panels, and it may additionally discourage companies from investing in solar energy.”

Jide Pratts, nation supervisor of Commerce Grid, mentioned the plan to ban photo voltaic import is a hasty name.

“If we glance round Nigeria, when it comes to stopping importation for therefore many issues, to try to improve native capability, I’m struggling to think about one main factor that has labored. We begin this stuff in a rush,” Pratts mentioned on a stay TVC program monitored by BusinessDay.

He admitted there may be lithium in Nigeria however “we’ve not been in a position to extract it in industrial amount, standardise it.”

Learn additionally: Nigeria climbs Africa’s photo voltaic ranks, now fifth largest installer

“You don’t cease imports till you present incentives for native capability to fulfill a minimum of 70 % of native demand. Even then, when that occurs, why cease it? Nigeria must resolve if it desires a free market or a managed market. We should encourage competitors,” Pratts mentioned.

Different specialists surveyed by BusinessDay level out that Nigeria’s native photo voltaic manufacturing trade remains to be in its infancy. Whereas a number of meeting vegetation exist, they lack the dimensions to fulfill the nation’s large demand.

“Extra importantly, regionally produced photo voltaic panels are sometimes dearer than imported ones, placing them out of attain for common Nigerians,” Chioma Nwachukwu, a venture supervisor for a photo voltaic power nonprofit in Kano mentioned.

BusinessDay’s analysis reveals that imported photo voltaic methods in Nigeria differ broadly in price, from N400,000 for a fundamental setup to N20 million for a completely off-grid resolution, reflecting differing power wants and ranges of grid independence.

Entry-level methods (N400,000) present a easy introduction to solar energy, whereas extra superior setups supply larger financial savings.

For instance, Juwon Adesanya, a social media strategist, invested N4 million in 2024 on a 5kVA photo voltaic system with six 400W panels and a 5.12kWh lithium battery. This powers a number of home equipment, together with TVs, freezers, laptops, and a washer.

For bigger power calls for, high-end methods (N10–N30 million) present near-total independence. A N10–N20 million 10KVA hybrid system features a 10kWh inverter, 10KWh battery, and 9kWh photo voltaic panels, supporting home equipment like microwaves, a number of followers, and TVs with 12–15 hours of backup energy.

Probably the most superior possibility, a N30 million 15KVA system, incorporates a 12kW inverter, 33kWh battery storage, and 11kW photo voltaic panels, able to working three air conditioners and fridge-freezers concurrently whereas offering 15 hours of backup energy—ultimate for each properties and companies.

If the ban takes impact, specialists worry a surge in costs, placing photo voltaic power out of attain for low-income households.

“We’re speaking a couple of potential 40-60 % value improve,” Tunde Olawale, a renewable power advisor warned. “That may push individuals again to mills and soiled fuels, worsening air pollution and power poverty.”

The potential ban may hit hardest in rural areas, the place photo voltaic power is usually the one supply of electrical energy. In villages removed from the nationwide grid, small photo voltaic methods energy properties, colleges, and well being clinics.

Learn additionally: Citihomes Finance Firm unveils clear power mortgage to spice up photo voltaic adoption

Many of those methods are offered by off-grid photo voltaic corporations that depend on imported tools.

For Adebola Ogunleye, a frozen meals vendor, the stakes are private.

“If photo voltaic turns into too costly, I’ll have to boost my costs,” he mentioned. “However my clients are struggling too. How for much longer can we finish.”