New Solar Panel Regulation: Nigeria Begins Massive Production as Import Declines
- Nigeria’s proposed solar panel import ban has plunged the country into some sort of clean energy industrialisation
- Recent data has shown skyrocketing solar panel production by local companies in the last few months
- The MD of REA, Abba Aliyu, Nigeria imported 110 megawatts of solar cells in October 2025, relative to 82 megawatts of finished panels
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Nigeria’s clean-energy drive has taken a major leap forward as new data from the Rural Electrification Agency shows a sharp decline in finished solar panel imports and a significant rise in the importation of solar cells for local assembly.
This shift follows the Federal Government’s recent solar import regulation, which restricts the entry of fully assembled panels to encourage domestic production.
Source: Getty Images
Solar panel finished products import declines
According to REA Managing Director Abba Aliyu, Nigeria imported 110 megawatts of solar cells in October 2025, compared to just 82 megawatts of finished solar panels.
It is the first time the country has brought in more cells than fully assembled units, a sign that local manufacturers are now taking the lead in production.
Aliyu described the development as a historic moment that signals “a transition from buying clean-energy solutions to building them.”
How new solar policies are transforming the market
According to a report by the Punch, the government recently tightened rules on the importation of complete solar panels to promote local value creation and reduce reliance on foreign products. The policy is already reshaping the market.
When manufacturers import cells and assemble panels locally, 60 to 70 percent of the value is created within the country through processes such as framing, glass production, lamination, junction box installation, testing and logistics.
This boost to local content is central to the Nigeria First Policy, a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Aliyu noted that the rise in cell imports is not just a trade statistic but a structural shift driven by clear policy direction and strong political commitment.
Record growth since the renewable energy innovation forum
A large part of the momentum came after the inaugural Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum held in October.
The event, chaired by the Vice President, focused on accelerating domestic manufacturing. Aliyu said that between January and November 2025, Nigeria imported more solar cells for local production than in all previous years combined.
The forum unlocked nearly $500 million in new investments and manufacturing deals, boosting confidence among industry players.
It also created stronger coordination between agencies, investors and manufacturers, eliminating gaps that previously slowed progress.
Strong political backing fuels industrial confidence
The REA chief credited the growth to the government’s ongoing economic reforms and its commitment to rebuilding investor trust.
Support from the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the broader power-sector interventions also contributed to the rising activity in local solar factories.
Aliyu explained that Nigeria now has the ingredients it long lacked: predictable policies, investor-ready reforms, industrial coordination and a market responding to confidence rather than chance.
Nigeria steps into clean-energy industrialisation
Nigeria’s shift toward solar manufacturing is already showing real-world results. The country recently exported Nigerian-made solar panels to Ghana, proving the potential of its expanding renewable energy industry.
Source: UGC
With import restrictions now steering manufacturers toward local assembly and new investments flowing into production lines, Nigeria is stepping firmly into a new era of clean-energy industrialisation.
Nigeria overtakes Egypt in solar panel imports
Legit.ng earlier reported that with a record 1,721 megawatts of imports in the 12 months leading to June 2025, Nigeria surpassed Egypt to become Africa's second-largest importer of solar panels.
This was revealed in a fresh examination of China's solar panel export statistics released on Tuesday by the energy think tank Ember. More than 85 million people in Nigeria do not have access to electricity, making it one of the nations where this issue persists.
Nigerians have resorted to renewable energy sources to close this gap, with solar technologies gaining traction
Source: Legit.ng
