By Abbas Nazil
The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) has strengthened its collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in a renewed effort to curb the circulation of fake and substandard renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.
The partnership is aimed at improving quality control systems, enforcement frameworks, testing procedures, certification processes, and broader stakeholder engagement across the renewable energy value chain.
According to REAN, the initiative is designed to restore consumer confidence, improve regulatory compliance, and support the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.
The Head of Communications at REAN, Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the collaboration reflects the association’s commitment to standardisation and quality assurance in the renewable energy industry.
He explained that gaps in enforcement and inconsistencies in existing standards have allowed inferior products to circulate widely, weakening trust in renewable energy solutions and slowing sector development.
He added that stronger coordination between regulatory institutions is necessary to ensure that only certified and reliable products are available in the market.
Lloyd-Dietake noted that discussions between REAN and SON also focused on emerging challenges in the sector, including affordability constraints linked to certification processes and the increasing presence of substandard solar panels, batteries, and other renewable energy equipment.
He stated that stakeholders also raised concerns over delays in product testing and approval, which continue to create bottlenecks for manufacturers and distributors.
To address these challenges, he called for the establishment of additional testing laboratories and certification facilities across the country to improve efficiency and reduce delays in the approval system.
The association also urged stronger collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), to harmonise standards and enhance enforcement mechanisms.
REAN stressed that coordinated action among these agencies would help eliminate fake renewable energy products and ensure consistency in regulatory oversight nationwide.
SON, in its response, acknowledged REAN’s role in promoting standardisation within the renewable energy sector and reaffirmed its readiness to deepen cooperation with the association.
SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements relating to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.
Both organisations agreed that stronger institutional collaboration is essential to building a more transparent and reliable renewable energy market in Nigeria.
REAN also expressed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is expected to strengthen cooperation on quality assurance and regulatory alignment.
The proposed MoU is intended to accelerate Nigeria’s transition towards reliable, standardised, and efficient renewable energy solutions while reducing the spread of counterfeit products that undermine industry growth.
Stakeholders believe that improved enforcement, better infrastructure for testing, and coordinated regulation will help unlock investor confidence and support wider adoption of clean energy technologies across the country.
