Unlocking Nigeria’s Solar Potential: The Role of Government Support in Building a Sustainable Energy Future
As Nigeria continues to grapple with energy challenges, one sector holds immense promise: solar energy. Bome Ojoboh, CEO of Extreme Mutual Technique Limited, a leading solar energy provider, shares his insights with reporters on harnessing Nigeria’s solar potential and the government’s crucial role in building a sustainable energy future.
For Solar energy utilization in Nigeria to grow exponentially,
Bome Ojoboh believes Government support is absolutely crucial.
” if we want to grow Nigeria’s solar energy sector. Right now, the solar industry is mostly funded by private investors, which limits how fast it can grow. If we want solar power to reach millions of Nigerians, the government needs to step in with supportive policies, incentives, and infrastructure. Nigeria is blessed with over 5.5 hours of sunlight daily, yet solar energy makes up less than 2% of our energy mix. If you look at countries like Kenya, where the government has backed solar initiatives, solar now accounts for over 13% of their total energy in just a few years. This shows how impactful government support can be in reducing costs and encouraging growth.”
Mr Ojoboh believes one sure way the Nigerian government can Jumpstart people into investing in Solar energy systems is to offer tax breaks and remove import duty on solar energy,
” Currently, we import over 90% of our solar panels, inverters, and batteries, and import duties can add another 10% to 20% to the cost. If the government waived these fees, it would make solar more affordable for both homeowners and businesses.”
Another effective strategy he says would be to offer low-interest loans or subsidies to help people pay for solar installations.
” India did something similar with its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission which combined subsidies, loans, and tax incentives. This helped India grow its solar capacity by over 200% in less than ten years. Nigeria could definitely benefit from a similar approach, especially for small businesses that rely on expensive diesel generators.”
Mr Ojoboh says grow the solar energy sector needs active government support.
He says,
“A perfect example is Germany. Back in 2000, the German government passed the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) which guaranteed that people who installed solar panels would be paid for any extra electricity they generated. This made it easier for people to invest in solar power. As a result, solar energy now produces nearly 10% of Germany’s electricity. On top of that, the government’s support helped build a domestic solar manufacturing industry, creating jobs and lowering costs for everyone.”
He believes Nigeria can learn from German in this regard because he insists that long-term government incentives is essential and will really help make solar power affordable and popular.
Such support from the Nigeria government could see massive growth in solar energy here too.
Bome says the potential of Solar Energy in Nigeria is huge and untapped,
” Nigeria has a huge untapped potential for solar energy. Studies show we could generate over 200,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from solar power every year. To put that in perspective, our current electricity generation is only 13,000 MW, and even that isn’t reliable, with just about 4,000 MW consistently available.”
Solar power he revealed will not only fill this gap but even surpass Nigeria’s current capacity. The government he says just needs to take the necessary steps to make this happen. ”
He adds,
“If we use even a portion of this potential, we could revolutionize our energy supply and reduce our dependence on diesel generators and the unstable national grid.”
Bome Ojoboh believes the federal government’s investment in solar energy sector will impact Nigeria’s economy positively,
“Government investment in solar would greatly benefit Nigeria’s economy. First, it would cut down the $14 billion that businesses spend every year on diesel, allowing them to invest that money elsewhere. Second, building a solar energy infrastructure could create thousands of new jobs, from equipment manufacturing to system installation and maintenance. Third, by lowering energy costs, solar power would help businesses reduce their operating expenses, allowing them to be more competitive and profitable.”
He draws inference to Egypt where government support for solar development was a huge success,
Hear him,
“We’ve seen this kind of success in Egypt, where the government supported the development of the Benban Solar Park, one of the largest solar parks in the world. Not only has it helped Egypt meet its renewable energy goals, but it has also created over 10,000 jobs and attracted billions of dollars in investment. Nigeria has similar potential if the government steps up to support the solar industry.
As Nigeria continues its energy transition, Extreme Mutual Technique Limited and visionary leaders like Bome Ojoboh are paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow.
