Nigeria has, for the first time, imported more solar cells than finished solar panels, as local assembly of solar products continues to grow.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Rural Electrification Agency on Sunday, citing recent industry data.
According to the REA, the data shows that in October, solar cell imports reached 110 megawatts (MW), compared to 82 MW of finished solar panels.
The Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the shift reflects a new supply pattern emerging in Nigeria’s solar market.
He noted that the change aligns with the Nigeria First Policy, which prioritizes local assembly of solar panels rather than the importation of finished products.
“This is more than a statistic, it’s structural. It shows Nigeria is shifting from buying clean energy solutions to building them,” the REA boss stated.
Nigeria, Africa’s leading importer of solar panels, is gradually moving to reduce its dependence on imports.
In April, the West African country announced plans to ban the complete importation of solar panels, but later reversed the decision following objections from industry players.
In 2024, Nigeria’s solar imports surged by over 60%, pushing the country ahead of South Africa as the continent’s largest importer of renewable energy equipment.
“When we import finished panels, most of the value stays offshore.
“But when we import cells and assemble locally, 60–70% of the value is created here in frames, glass, backsheets, junction boxes, encapsulation, lamination, testing, logistics, and skilled labour. That’s how industries grow,” Aliyu added.
Capacity expands across multiple states
Over the past three years, Nigeria has steadily expanded its solar module assembly capacity, with confirmed facilities operating in Lagos and Ogun states.
Combined installed and planned capacity now exceeds 600 MW per year, reflecting growing investment in domestic solar manufacturing.
Several manufacturers have expanded production lines to meet rising demand from households, commercial users, and mini-grid developers
The number of registered renewable-energy service companies has also increased.
These firms now cover installation, maintenance and system integration across different regions of the country.
Nigeria has also begun exporting locally manufactured solar panels.
In October, Levene Photovoltaic Technologies (LPVT), a local assembly plant, shipped panels to Ghana, representing one of the country’s first regional solar exports.
While this came before the current surge in solar-cell imports, it demonstrates Nigeria’s growing industrial capacity and its potential to serve regional markets.
Finished panel imports fall sharply
Trade data released earlier in 2025 showed a sharp decline in the value of finished solar-panel imports.
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that import values fell by nearly 90% compared with the previous quarter.
The drop coincided with higher inflows of solar cells and other assembly inputs.
Developers now import cells directly.
They rely on domestic factories for final module production.
Large-scale factory projects
Several new manufacturing projects are now under development.
An 800 MW solar panel factory is under construction in Ogun State.
When completed, it is expected to rank among the largest solar manufacturing facilities in West Africa.
Other firms are expanding lamination lines, upgrading testing laboratories and adding automated framing equipment.
These upgrades are designed to raise output and improve production efficiency as demand grows.
