Nigerians spent about N242.68bn on the importation of solar panels in the first half of 2025, underscoring the country’s sustained demand for renewable energy solutions even as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to boost local production.
The figure also places solar panels among Nigeria’s top imported commodities, according to the latest Foreign Trade Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, obtained by The PUNCH on Tuesday.
The report revealed that photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or made up into panels valued at N125.29bn were imported between January and March 2025. In the second quarter, imports worth N117.39bn were recorded, bringing the total for the first half of the year to N242.68bn.
However, the six-month figure marked a sharp decline compared to the N237.3bn recorded in the final quarter of 2024, indicating a slowdown in import demand.
The Federal Government has recently intensified its campaign to reduce dependence on imported solar panels, maintaining that Nigeria now possesses the capacity to drive local manufacturing.
The Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, stated that Nigeria’s installed solar module manufacturing capacity had increased to 600 megawatts, up from 110 megawatts previously.
