Nigeria is pursuing an ambitious energy expansion strategy centred on Solar Power Projects, with plans to achieve 209,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity by 2050. The initiative includes 53 large-scale solar developments valued at approximately $11 billion, according to a report by IIR.
The planned expansion forms part of Nigeria’s long-term energy transition strategy aimed at improving electricity generation, expanding access to power, and reducing reliance on conventional energy sources.
According to the report, the 53 Solar Power Projects currently under development reflect increasing investor interest in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector. The projects are expected to play a significant role in diversifying the country’s energy mix while supporting economic growth and rural electrification efforts.
The Federal Government has also intensified efforts to expand electricity access through renewable energy solutions in underserved communities.
Beyond utility-scale developments, Nigeria is implementing a nationwide programme focused on mini-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems.
Under an initiative coordinated by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), more than 1,300 solar mini-grids and off-grid systems are being deployed across the country to improve electricity access in rural communities. The programme includes 250 interconnected mini-grids designed to supply power directly into the national grid, helping to stabilise electricity supply while reducing dependence on diesel-powered generation.
The initiative is supported by $750 million in public funding and is projected to attract an additional $1.1 billion in private sector investment. REA Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, described the programme as a landmark development in Nigeria’s power sector.
“For the first time, we are witnessing the implementation of the biggest publicly funded renewable electricity project in the entire world. It is a $750m project that will catalyse $1.1bn in private sector funding to deploy 1,350 mini-grids across the country,” he said.
Aliyu added that renewable energy is increasingly being positioned as a central component of Nigeria’s electricity strategy. “For the first time in the history of the country, the Federal Government is positioning the renewable energy sector of the Nigerian economy as the alternative source of electricity in the country,” he stated.
According to available data, Nigeria has already installed more than 1,000 mini-grid systems nationwide, with over half financed by the REA. The country’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up programme, supported by the World Bank, is also accelerating deployment of Solar Power Projects through mini-grids, standalone systems, and energy storage solutions.
The expansion of the Projects is expected to support Nigeria’s target of increasing renewable energy’s contribution to the national energy mix from approximately 23 per cent currently to 30 per cent by 2030 and 82 per cent by 2050.
Data from the Global Solar Council indicates that Nigeria added 803MW of solar capacity in 2025, bringing total installed solar capacity to about 1,019MW. The programme also aligns with broader continental initiatives such as the World Bank-backed Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
With 53 major Solar Power Projects valued at about $11 billion underway and large-scale investments in mini-grid infrastructure, Nigeria is positioning renewable energy as a cornerstone of its long-term electricity strategy. The government’s target of achieving 209,000MW of installed solar capacity by 2050 reflects a significant shift toward clean energy and expanded electricity access across the country.
