Mosho Adekunle, a renewable energy expert, has called for the increased deployment of solar mini-grids and pay-as-you-go systems to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges.
He made the recommendation on Monday in Abuja during an interview with reporters.
Adekunle stated that these solutions could provide affordable and reliable electricity to households, small businesses, and public institutions, especially in communities with weak or no grid access.
He explained that isolated mini-grids could serve communities far from the national grid, while interconnected mini-grids could complement weak distribution networks.
“Solar mini-grids and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar home systems remain the most practical and scalable innovations for expanding affordable electricity access,” he said.
According to him, interconnected mini-grids can supply local power reliably while drawing from or feeding into the national grid when available.
Adekunle noted that early Nigerian mini-grid projects increased electricity supply in some communities from less than three hours daily to about 15 hours.
He added that pre-payment metering would allow households and businesses to pay for electricity without facing large upfront costs associated with establishing community power systems.
The expert pointed out that productive activities like cold storage, milling, welding, and irrigation could increase electricity demand and help reduce tariffs for consumers.
Adekunle told reporters that solar mini-grids could deliver electricity at about 18 to 28 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on demand and interconnection, which compares favorably with diesel-generated power costing between 30 and 60 cents or more per kilowatt-hour.
He also recommended PAYG solar home systems, which include panels, batteries, lighting, and phone-charging facilities for households and micro-businesses unable to afford conventional electricity.
Users could make small deposits and regular payments via mobile money, eliminating the high initial cost of purchasing solar systems.
“Flexible payments are especially important for low- and middle-income households whose incomes may not be regular,” Adekunle said.
He explained that these systems could provide businesses with predictable power for shops, workshops, and cold storage, while gradually reducing dependence on diesel generators.
According to him, schools, clinics, and local government offices could also benefit from reliable power for lighting, refrigeration, computers, and water pumping.
Adekunle identified cheaper lithium batteries, falling solar panel prices, energy-efficient appliances, local assembly, and skilled technicians as innovations that could further reduce costs.
He also mentioned that smart metering and mobile payment systems could improve revenue collection, while private developers and results-based financing could speed up deployment.
“Rather than waiting for a fixed national grid, distributed solar solutions can deliver reliable power quickly in areas where the grid is weak or absent,” he said.
Finally, Adekunle emphasized that Nigeria’s growing mini-grid sector, supported by programs like the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES), offers a significant opportunity to expand access.
He urged policymakers and investors to prioritize renewable energy distribution as a practical complement to grid expansion and a pathway to affordable electricity.
