Nigeria imported solar panels worth N237.3bn into the country in the last quarter of 2024.
Data from the Foreign Trades Statistics produced by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the commodity termed ‘Photovoltaic cells not assembled in modules or made up into panels’ was majorly imported from China worth N228.9bn.
The huge amount is despite Nigeria making efforts to be self-sufficient in solar panels production with huge investments in renewable solar.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had in 2023 performed the foundation-laying ceremony of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) factory in Gora in Nasarawa State with the aim to put Nigeria among the ranks of countries pushing the boundaries in the use of more climate-friendly alternative energy sources.
The plant, which would cost $325,860,690 was described by the former Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna, as a game changer to make alternative power cheaper and affordable.
He said the commencement of the plant signalled the implementation of one of the three projects contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NASENI and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC).
“When fully commissioned, the price of per watt of solar power supply will be cheap enough to be affordable to everyone and it is a game changer in energy and power supply industry as well as industrial development of Nigeria”.
Speaking at the ceremony, Osinbajo said the measure was a proactive effort aimed at placing Nigeria within the ranks of countries pushing the boundaries in the use of climate-smart alternative energy sources, particularly solar power.
Prof Osinbajo said the development was one of the federal government’s steps to ensure that NASENI gets the 1 per cent of the federation account annually as prescribed by its founding law.
According to him, solar cells are critical to the entire solar energy value chain, because they determine the sensitivity of solar panels to trap and accumulate solar energy from the sun.
Togo, Benin, Niger imports N75.6bn worth of electricity
Nigeria, during the period exported electricity to the tune of N75.6bn to Togo, Benin and Niger Republic.
A breakdown showed Togo imported N33.7bn worth of the commodity followed by Benin with N27.6bn and Niger with N14.2bn of the product.
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