Nigeria, Netherlands Seal Deal for 1GW Solar Panel Factory to Boost Energy Independence
Nigeria has signed a landmark partnership with Dutch renewable energy firm Solarge BV to establish a 1-gigawatt (GW) solar panel manufacturing plant, a project expected to transform the nation’s clean energy landscape and deepen local industrial capacity.
The facility will be developed under a new entity, Solarge Nigeria Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) created to oversee construction and operations. Within its first three years, the factory aims to achieve 50% local content, making it one of the largest solar manufacturing hubs in Africa.
The agreement — inked at the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) headquarters in Abuja — brings together the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), InfraCorp, and Solarge BV. Stakeholders say the project represents a major stride in Nigeria’s quest for sustainable energy, industrialisation, and energy sovereignty.
Abba Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO of REA, announced that the agency has committed to procuring at least 200 megawatts (MW) of solar panels annually for the next five years. The panels will power public sector solarisation programmes aimed at reducing diesel reliance in schools, hospitals, and government facilities.
“Through this joint venture, we are not only creating access to clean energy but also building the local capacity to manufacture it,” Aliyu said. “This initiative is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda and our mandate to electrify communities and institutions.”
Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, CEO of InfraCorp, hailed the partnership as “a bold step toward local manufacturing and energy sovereignty,” while Solarge BV’s CEO, Joost Brinkman, described the factory as “a benchmark for African solar innovation — built by Nigerians, for Nigerians.”
To ensure accountability and efficiency, the factory will be governed by a diverse board representing all stakeholders, including an independent non-executive director. A Project Management Office (PMO) and an Offtake Coordination Desk will be established to align execution with public procurement policies.
Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, Director General of the Budget Office, said the solar factory exemplifies the government’s push for innovative public-private partnerships under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund. “It not only supports our fiscal sustainability goals but also deepens Nigeria’s industrial base and energy self-reliance,” he noted.
Expected to create thousands of jobs, cut carbon emissions, and accelerate technology transfer, the 1GW solar panel factory signals Nigeria’s determination to lead Africa’s green industrial revolution — delivering long-term economic and environmental gains.
