- Rising electricity costs lead to increased adoption of solar energy.
- Solar installation provides long-term savings despite upfront expenses.
- Consumers call for more DisCos competition to improve energy options.
Steep electricity costs increase, prompting many private schools and businesses to switch to solar energy. This trend follows recent tariff hikes by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
A Blueprint Newspaper survey reveals that schools and small businesses are turning to solar to cut costs. Despite high initial installation expenses, businesses see significant long-term savings.
A single solar panel costs about N80,000. Most businesses need two to five panels. Batteries, essential for storage, vary in price. A 12 kVA battery costs around N250,000 and inverters can reach N400,000. Maintenance is minimal, with battery water needing replacement every six to twelve months.
Consultant Daniel noted that solar energy removes the burden of erratic power and high costs. Stone Bridge School in Gowon Estate, Egbeda, previously spent N10,000 daily on electricity. They now solely rely on solar energy.
A large business centre, facing collapse due to high DisCo charges, also switched to solar. An operator who wished to remain anonymous reported fewer customer complaints and reduced stress.
Sharp tariff increases drive this shift. In April, NERC raised tariffs for Band A consumers from N68/kWh to N225/kWh, later reduced to N206.80/kWh in May. However, relief has been minimal.
Lagos consumers express frustration. Badejo Olujimi from Alimosho described unreliable power as a “twinkle-twinkle little star,” with outages worsening the heat. He criticised DisCos for neglecting consumers outside Band A.
Barber Alex Fodio, in Band A, doubled his charges from N500 to N1,000 due to high electricity costs. Despite steep prices, the power supply remains poor.
Retired teacher Gbenga Ojoko from Ikeja lamented the worsening power situation. His wife’s business suffers due to unreliable cold storage.
Consumers urge the federal government to license more DisCos for competition. Current conditions force many to rethink their energy strategies.