The Nigerian federal government recently signed an agreement to build a 1GW solar PV module manufacturing plant. The project is a collaborative effort between the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Nigeria Infrastructure Corporation (InfraCorp), and the Dutch company Solarge BV. The three parties will jointly establish “Solarge Nigeria Limited” to oversee the factory’s operations, with equity shares of 25%, 26%, and 49%, respectively. The initiative will be driven through a public-private partnership model to facilitate investment and technology transfer.
It is reported that the factory’s planning aligns closely with two major Nigerian strategies: the “National Public Sector Solarization Initiative” (NPSSI) and the “Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund” (RHIDF). Each party will leverage its strengths to advance the project: REA will provide policy leadership, InfraCorp will mobilize investments, and Solarge BV will offer technical expertise. The factory will be built to top-tier standards, with a target of achieving 50% local content within three years of operation. This move is expected to promote the transfer of solar technology to Nigeria, facilitate skills training, and create thousands of local jobs.
To ensure solid financial support for the project, REA has signed a binding off-take agreement, committing to procure at least 200 megawatts of modules annually for five years. These modules will be used in government electrification projects, ensuring that locally produced solar products power public facilities such as schools and hospitals across the country, thereby supporting the optimization of the public sector’s energy structure.
