“With N15bn, Nigerians Can Enjoy Constant Power” – NASENI Solar Plant

Mohammed Haruna, the executive vice chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), revealed that the agency needed $96m (N15bn) to expand operations at its solar plant in Karshi, Abuja to full capacity.

The Karshi Solar Panel Plant is the first government manufacturing plant in Nigeria and West Africa, but is currently underfunded and underutilized.

“Available data shows that 60 per cent of Nigerians living in rural communities do not have access to the national grid, but with full patronage of NASENI’s solar panels, the epileptic power generation in the country will become a thing of the past,” said Haruna.

“NASENI Solar Energy Limited, the only manufacturers of solar panels in West Africa since 2011 has produced about 2,800 pieces of solar panels. Nigerians can enjoy constant power generation since the country receives an average of 6-9 hours sunshine per day.”

 

Haruna added that “successful rural electrification can be achieved if the solar panel plant is given full attention by the present administration, federal government agencies and private sectors in power industry. In view of the abundance of sunshine all year round, the location of the country within the humid tropical region and the isolated pattern of human settlement, solar PV technology is particularly well suited for use in Nigeria.”

Haruna said that Nigeria would be exporting solar cells instead of importing it once the plant starts manufacturing solar cells, and revealed that the factory had the capacity to produce 70 megawatts per annum and if government gave approval, it would be in position to export solar cells.

He listed the influx of low quality solar panels from other countries at a reduced cost, inadequate supply of raw materials for continuous production of solar panels and lack of patronage from government institutions involved in solar energy projects as being among the major challenges facing full patronage of NASENI solar plant.

NASENI has also been engaged in other renewable energy production, including the installation of a small hydro power facility in the Ketti community of the FCT.