Sun King has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency to expand renewable energy access and local manufacturing. The agreement was announced at the Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum in Abuja and was witnessed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, with attendance from the Ministry of Power and Lagos State officials. The partnership is designed to advance energy access while accelerating manufacturing-driven growth in Nigeria.
Partnership Overview
The MoU establishes structured collaboration on three fronts, local value creation, technical cooperation, and joint advocacy for standalone solar solutions. It targets import substitution of up to 150 million dollars over five years while building a self-sustaining clean energy market. The parties will coordinate to scale off-grid solar as a central pillar of Nigeria’s energy strategy.
Manufacturing and Industrialization
Sun King will explore a Nigerian light manufacturing and assembly footprint to localize select solar and energy-efficient products. The aim is to expand supply chains, create skilled jobs, and ensure more of the sector’s value is retained domestically under the Nigeria First policy. Dialogue with government and industry will inform incentives, infrastructure needs, and regulatory steps that support a durable manufacturing base.
Data and Technical Collaboration
REA and Sun King will deepen data sharing on market intelligence, consumer behavior, and operational metrics to sharpen program design. Insights are intended to support initiatives such as the Nigeria Electrification Project and the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up program. The effort includes technical capacity building to identify skills gaps, reduce bottlenecks, and strengthen long-term planning.
Advocacy and Market Impact
The partners will jointly elevate the role of standalone solar for homes, schools, clinics, and small businesses that remain underserved by the grid. Coordinated advocacy will promote policies and financing structures that unlock private capital at scale. This approach aligns with Mission 300, the goal to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.
Market Traction and Product Expansion
Sun King reports selling more than 330,000 solar kits each month across Africa, reflecting rapid continental adoption. In Nigeria, monthly sales have risen from 3,000 units in 2020 to about 75,000 today, with volumes expected to triple over the next few years. Beyond solar home systems, the company offers smartphones and energy-efficient appliances like televisions and freezers designed to integrate with its solar kits.
Government Backing and Commitments
Vice President Shettima framed the agreement as a call for private-sector leadership, emphasizing incentives for local manufacturing and streamlined regulation. REA Managing Director Abba Abubakar Aliyu noted Sun King’s prior role in the Nigeria Electrification Programme and said the new phase links energy access, industry, and policy in a unified push. Sun King’s Nigerian operations have already created more than 12,000 jobs across sales, engineering, marketing, and data functions, with further gains expected through localized assembly and service networks.
Analysts view the REA and Sun King collaboration as a practical blueprint for pairing clean energy expansion with domestic production. With an estimated 85 million Nigerians still lacking electricity, off-grid solar and local manufacturing could reshape both energy access and value retention. If executed as outlined, the partnership could move Nigeria from major importer to active producer while accelerating connections for communities nationwide.