By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria’s renewable energy industry can only deliver on its potential when anchored on quality, safety and standards, industry stakeholders said during Day 2 of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025.
Speaking at the press briefing, REAN President Ayo Ademilua said the sector stands at a critical point as more than 85 million Nigerians remain without reliable electricity supply.
He said REAN is committed to advancing policies, financing reforms and inclusive partnerships that support sustainable and scalable clean energy solutions.
He explained that the Renewable Energy Conference 2025 comes at a time when national and global priorities are aligned on climate action, economic resilience and universal energy access.
He said the conference brings together policymakers, financiers, developers, manufacturers, academia and civil society to develop practical actions across the renewable energy value chain.
He announced that REAN, in partnership with Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS), has developed a Policy Brief on Naira-Based Concessionary Loans to push for single-digit interest financing and long-term local currency facilities.
He identified affordable financing, mini-grid sustainability, technical skills development, local manufacturing and productive-use energy for SMEs and agro-processors as top advocacy priorities for 2025.
During the technical session, stakeholders stressed that quality standards, safety procedures and regulatory compliance remain essential for sector growth.
Engr Kayode A. Odukoya, FNSE, said Nigeria receives over 4.5 kWh/m² of solar radiation daily yet underutilises solar energy due to substandard products and weak enforcement of regulations.
He said the success of Nigeria’s energy transition depends on reliable, efficient and sustainable renewable energy systems that can guarantee investor confidence and long-term industrial growth.
He explained that REAN has developed a three-phase implementation plan covering 60 applicable standards classified into high, medium and low priority categories.
He said compliance and accountability under the plan will be monitored by the REAN Secretariat working in collaboration with key regulatory agencies.
He noted that REAN is strengthening partnerships with NEMSA, SON and NASENI to harmonise standards, improve installer certification and support member education on safety requirements.
He said recent inverter and solar installation fires in Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja show the urgent need for certified installers, better component testing and strict compliance with safety standards.
He added that the sector must also adopt environmental safeguards to prevent e-waste pollution and improper battery disposal.
He said Nigeria’s current energy mix relies heavily on gas at 72 percent and hydro at 14 percent, while renewable energy accounts for just 1 percent of installed capacity.
He explained that the Vision 30:30:30 plan requires scaling renewable capacity from 1.15 gigawatts to 9 gigawatts by 2030, creating significant investment opportunities for the private sector.
He said Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS), IEC, ISO, ECOWAS standards and REAN guidelines serve as the core frameworks guiding PV modules, inverters, batteries and mini-grid systems.
Stakeholders said effective implementation of standards would lengthen asset lifespan, improve return on investment, strengthen investor confidence and open export opportunities for local manufacturers.
They identified regulatory overlap, low awareness, high certification costs and inadequate testing facilities as key barriers to sector-wide standardisation.
They called for stronger collaboration between developers, regulators and government agencies to prioritise capacity-building and compliance enforcement.
During the AGM session, Acting CEO of REAN, Motunrayo Akinfala, presented updates on REAN’s operations, advocacy progress and membership expansion.
She said members at the AGM reviewed the previous year’s activities and commended the administration for improved engagement and partnerships.
She reported that members discussed new opportunities including Lagos State’s decentralised renewable energy desk and the State’s 10,000 megawatt solar ambition.
She said concerns were raised about inactive working groups, with calls for the EXCO to strengthen internal coordination and revive technical clusters.
She added that members also highlighted emerging opportunities in carbon credits for companies with carbon projects.
The AGM introduced 67 new members and reviewed the audited financial statements presented by the Treasurer, Mrs Safiya Aliyu.
The 2023 AGM minutes were adopted after a motion by Mrs Opeyemi Aboyade of Privida Energy and a second by Mrs Habiba Ali of Sosai Renewable Energies.
In her remarks delivered through the Partnerships and Policy Manager, Ms Toun Odetola, All On CEO Mrs Caroline Eboumbou commended REAN for a successful conference and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to sector collaboration.
She said the REAN–All On partnership has reached more than 500,000 Nigerians through the RE-360 radio programme, helping communities understand energy transition issues.
Presenting the financials, Aliyu reported N43.4 million income in 2022 and N31.5 million in 2023, both closing with deficits due to project and operating expenditures.
She said the 2025 outlook shows N83.7 million in projected revenue including N52.6 million in membership dues, N26.0 million in grants and N5 million in donations.
She said programme spending for 2025 is projected at N23.5 million while administrative costs will total N53.6 million.
Akinfala said REAN’s 2025 programmes include accelerated renewable energy deployment, solar safety advocacy, fiscal incentives engagement, standardisation efforts with SON, SME support through #Project2000 and global partnership expansion.
She said membership has grown from 150 in 2020 to 360 in 2025, reflecting rising sector interest.
She said REAN also reached more than 321,000 social media impressions within the last year and expanded its online community to more than 39,000 followers.
REAN said it will continue to prioritise safety compliance, standards harmonisation, financing reforms and collaborative action to unlock Nigeria’s renewable energy potential.
