Energy expert, Theophilus Nweke, has criticized the Nigerian federal government’s proposed plan to ban the importation of solar panels.
Speaking at the 2025 Lagos Energy Summit, Nweke expressed skepticism about the feasibility of the policy, urging the government to prioritize governance and foster private-sector-led growth in the renewable energy sector.
The plan, announced by the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, aims to encourage local manufacturing of solar panels by limiting imports.
According to Nnaji, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has already begun producing solar panels, and private companies are actively contributing to the initiative. This move is part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen local industries under the Presidential Executive Order No. 5.
“With NASENI here, you know that we have panels. It has a factory that has started producing solar panels, and other private individuals are also producing solar panels as we speak. Through science and technology, and through our Presidential Executive Order No. 5, we will stop all these importations of solar panels. We will support our local industries to grow,” Nnaji said.
However, Nweke, who is the CEO of Cloud Energy, argued that Nigeria lacks the infrastructure and technological capacity to produce critical components required for solar panel assembly, such as solar wafers and solar cells.
He highlighted that the companies currently assembling solar panels in Nigeria rely on imported components, emphasizing that manufacturing solar panels domestically requires more advanced facilities.
“Solar wafers are not produced from silicon in Nigeria. Solar cells are not produced in Nigeria. So, how will the minister enforce a ban on imports? The companies assembling solar panels in Nigeria are importing cells for assembly—they are not even working from wafers,” Nweke stated.
He further questioned the practicality of the policy, asking whether the government could demonstrate the existence of factories capable of producing solar wafers or cells.
“Do you have a solar wafer factory? Do you have a solar cell factory? Can you show us where those factories exist? The technology needed to locally manufacture solar panels is simply not in place.”
Addressing renewable energy challenges
To address Nigeria’s renewable energy challenges, Nweke suggested that the government focus on creating a supportive framework for private-sector involvement, rather than attempting to directly control manufacturing.
- He proposed the establishment of a renewable energy intervention fund to provide low-interest financing for operators and citizens seeking access to solar solutions.
- This fund, he argued, would function similarly to the agricultural intervention fund that has successfully supported farming initiatives.
“The government can create a renewable energy fund at low-interest rates to allow operators like Cloud Energy to access it. This will enable private companies to deploy renewable energy solutions across Nigeria,” Nweke said.
What you should know
The debate surrounding the proposed ban coincides with the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), China Energy Engineering Corporation Ltd (Energy China), and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
- The agreement aims to address Nigeria’s long-standing energy challenges through strategic partnerships and innovation-driven solutions.
- Among its objectives is the establishment of the Nigeria-China Renewable Energy Research Centre, which will drive technological innovation and human capacity development in the renewable energy space.
While the government’s ambitions signal a commitment to advancing Nigeria’s energy sector, experts like Nweke stress the need for clearer policies, technological investments, and collaborative approaches to ensure sustainable progress.