WeLight to invest $650m in Nigerian solar mini-grids for rural power
Pan-African renewable energy company WeLight announced plans to invest $650 million (approximately ₦975 billion) to expand solar mini‑grid infrastructure across Nigeria, targeting communities with limited or no access to reliable electricity. The investment, disclosed via a post by Special Assistant to the President on Social Media Olusegun Dada on X, aims to increase the company’s rural customer base tenfold by deploying solar photovoltaic panels and lithium‑ion battery storage systems that supply electricity directly to households and businesses. By providing localized power, the mini‑grids will reduce dependence on the national grid operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria and on diesel/petrol generators that many communities currently rely on. WeLight said priority will be given to rural and agrarian areas where reliable electricity can support productive activities such as agricultural processing, irrigation, cold‑chain storage, and small‑scale manufacturing. The company noted that the model has already proven effective in East Africa, citing partnerships in Kenya’s Turkana, Garissa and Marsabit counties. While the announcement highlighted the investment amount and objectives, WeLight has not yet disclosed a timeline for rollout or the specific financing structure for the project. The move comes weeks after WeLight secured $31 million in new funding, which included an investment from the International Finance Corporation, the private‑sector arm of the World Bank Group. Nigeria continues to face a substantial electricity deficit, with millions of households and businesses relying on self‑generation due to inadequate grid supply and frequent outages. How might reliable solar mini‑grid access change your household or business energy costs and productivity?