The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) of Nigeria has signed a contract with Oando Clean Energy of Lagos for the construction of a 1.2-GW solar module assembly plant with the aim of increasing renewable energy production, the agency states.
The project is designed to ensure better local manufacturing of solar photovoltaic (PV) components and is expected to be part of the USD-950-million (EUR 873.1m) Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) program. REA asserted the project would incorporate an assembly plant, with power generation from a new solar PV park. The first 600-MW production line would start in 2026 and cater to the markets in Nigeria and beyond.
The agency emphasized that the facility would be the first in Africa to feature a solar panel recycling line. The project funding will be provided by the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The REA also noted that limited domestic production capacity has been a hindrance to scaling up renewable energy infrastructure, and this initiative seeks to plug that gap.
Furthermore, the REA also stated that it is nearing completion of a joint development agreement with Infracorp, a global investment firm, for a second fitting 1-GW solar panel assembly hub in Nigeria.
