Nigeria To Halt Importation Of Solar Panels

The federal government has announced plans to stop the importation of solar panels as part of efforts to boost local production and drive Nigeria’s clean energy transition.

Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, disclosed in an interview during the unveiling of the NEV T6 electric buses in Abuja recently. He said the move aligns with Presidential Executive Order No. 5, which seeks to promote local content in science, engineering, and technology.

According to him, the country is already making significant investments in renewable energy infrastructure, adding that Nigeria has the capacity to meet its solar energy demands locally, with organisations like the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) playing a key role in solar panel production.

Nnaji also projected that, with the expansion of local solar panel manufacturing, more Nigerian homes and institutions would transition to off-grid power solutions

He said: “We have lithium in abundance here in Nigeria, so Mr. President is already taking action. We are adding value to our raw materials. The lithium we have here will be processed and used as batteries for these vehicles.”