Nigeria targets solar power to reach 70 million people without electricity

Distributed solar power is being positioned as a primary solution to provide electricity to more than 70 million Nigerians currently lacking access. Energy stakeholders indicate that decentralized renewable energy is one of the fastest methods to reach communities underserved by the national grid.

Nigeria recorded over five million new off-grid connections between 2025 and 2026. To support this expansion, the Federal Government is utilizing the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale Up (DARES) programme, implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency. This initiative is backed by a $750 million World Bank facility and provides capital subsidies to renewable energy companies to reduce the cost of solar equipment for rural and low-income communities.

Industry players like Sun King report significant growth, with monthly solar system sales reaching approximately 100,000 units. Experts emphasize that because the scale of the electricity gap is so large, the government cannot meet connection targets alone, necessitating increased involvement from state governments and private sector operators to ensure sustained access to capital.