The Federal Government on Friday in Abuja has raised concerns over the continued influx of substandard and used solar equipment into Nigeria, warning that the trend poses a major threat to investment and the long-term sustainability of renewable energy projects across the country.
In response, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has commissioned its first Mini-Grid Testing and Simulation Centre in Abuja, designed to certify solar energy components and equipment before deployment.
Speaking during the commissioning, REA Managing Director, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said the centre would play a crucial role in ensuring that only products meeting the agency’s standards are approved for use in Nigeria.
He linked the establishment of the facility to a Memorandum of Understanding signed during President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 visit to China.
According to him, the facility will help address the proliferation of low-quality solar panels, batteries, and inverters that have flooded the Nigerian market and often fail prematurely. The centre will test the effectiveness of solar photovoltaic panels and batteries, and simulate how mini-grids perform under various real-world conditions before deployment.
REA officials explained that the lab can simulate environmental conditions, allowing engineers to evaluate equipment performance without physically visiting those environments.
Aliyu noted that the centre would also support research and development, as well as technical training for new intakes and professionals across the renewable energy ecosystem.
There are plans to replicate the testing facility across REA’s zonal offices nationwide.
The facility, valued at approximately $150,000, was fully funded and donated by Huawei Technologies Nigeria.
A board director from Huawei, Zhang Jing, described the centre as a key outcome of President Tinubu’s strategic push to expand electricity access in underserved communities.
He said the mini-grid systems being introduced through the partnership are built to handle diverse environmental challenges and will help bridge Nigeria’s power supply gap.
Jing expressed Huawei’s continued commitment to supporting Nigeria’s clean energy transition, adding that the collaboration aims to ensure a more sustainable and secure energy future for the country.
