Nigeria has signed a deal with Chinese solar manufacturer, LONGi Green Technologies Company, to establish a 500-1000MW solar production facility, in a move to realise its goal of domestic solar panel production.
The deal was finalised at a meeting between delegates from the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and LONGi at the company’s headquarters in China earlier this month, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between both parties earlier this year.
According to a statement published by the commission, LONGi “expressed strong interest in investing in Nigeria and demonstrated readiness to advance concrete plans for the construction of the factory.”
“This partnership marks a major step toward boosting local manufacturing, creating jobs, and strengthening Nigeria’s energy security.”
Where will the LONGi factory be located in Nigeria?
While the exact location of the project is not directly clear, PV products from the LONGi factory will be used to build a 2.6GW solar power plant within the Liberty Free Trade Zone in Akwa Ibom State.
In March, LONGi sealed a €7.6 billion ($8.86 billion) deal with APPL Hydrogen Limited (AHL) to build a green hydrogen plant.
The partnership aims to create a “Hydrogen Polis” that will produce green methanol for export, as well as medical oxygen and food-grade carbon dioxide.
The planned solar farm will also feature a large battery storage system and other renewable energy sources.
The Director General of the ECN, Abdullahi Mustapha, said the solar panel production factory is an initiative with the potential to transform Nigeria’s renewable energy landscape.
Growing solar investment in Nigeria
Nigeria is experiencing a solar energy surge, driven by strategic investments and a push for energy independence.
With over $500m committed to distributed renewable projects, solar is becoming a key component of Nigeria’s sustainable energy future.
After years of deepening solely on imports, the country’s geographic advantage—abundant sunlight year-round—is finally being leveraged as a strategic asset.
The Rural Electrification Agency says Nigeria’s total installed PV production capacity has risen from about 120MW annually a few years ago to roughly 650 MW now.
In March 2025, a landmark $500m Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Nigeria Fund was launched by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and Africa50.
Odyssey Energy secured a $7.5m financing facility from the British International Investment (BII) in September to support the deployment of mini-grids for local communities across Nigeria.
Before that, the federal government of Nigeria and Germany had agreed on a €20m renewable energy deal in June to support Nigeria’s clean energy goals.
Just weeks ago, locally manufactured solar panels were shipped to Ghana by Levene Photovoltaic Technologies for the first time ever.