By Bassey Udo
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) called Solarge Nigeria Limited has been established to operate a one gigawatt (GW) solar photovoltaic (PV) panel manufacturing facility in Nigeria.
The new partnership arrangement described as a landmark move by the government to accelerate Nigeria’s energy transition and industrialization agenda consists of interests by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), and Solarge BV of the Netherlands.
REA, established under section 127 of the Electricity Act 2023, is the implementing agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under the Federal Ministry of Power tasked with the electrification of unserved and underserved communities to catalyze economic growth and improve quality of life for Nigerians.
The agency is responsible for creating an enabling environment for private sector-led projects, which includes conducting feasibility assessments, energy audits, enumeration, data analysis, identification of qualified private sector developers, and project stakeholder engagements.
Currently, it is implementing the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Capital Projects, Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES), National Public Sector Solarization Initiative (NPSSI), Solar Power Naija (SPN), Energizing Education Programme (EEP), Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI), Energizing Agriculture Programme (EAP), Energy for All – Mass Rural Electrification,Research and Innovation Hub. Africa Mini Grids Programme (AMP), Derisking Sustainable Off-Grid Lighting Solutions (DSOLS), the Korean Energy Project, Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development And Transportation (e-HEART) and the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP).
InfraCorp is a dedicated privately-managed infrastructure and industrial vehicle that harness opportunities for Nigeria’s infrastructure development by originating, structuring, executing and managing end-to-end bankable projects.
Solarge BV is an innovative scale-up located in the area of Eindhoven’s High Tech environment that manufactures 100% Circular and Lightweight Solar Panels. With its innovative solar products, Solarge aims to lead the large-scale integration of lightweight solar technology into building environment.
Solarge panels have a low CO2 footprint, contain no PFAS, are easily recyclable and can ultimately be custom-made.
All of this, combined with competitive pricing, makes it a game-changing proposition that revolutionize the world of solar applications.
The co-ownership and strategic partnership/offtake agreement to establish the SPV was signed at infraCorp office, Abuja.
The deal aligns with Nigeria’s National Public Sector Solarization Initiative (NPSSI) and the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF) aimed at scalingq clean energy access across public institutions while building robust local content in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.
The public-private partnership is expected to leverage InfraCorp’s investment mobilization capacity, REA’s policy leadership in rural electrification and public sector solarization, and Solarge BV’s advanced technology and manufacturing expertise to localize high-quality solar PV production in Nigeria.
Key highlights of the project include the construction and operation of a state-of-the-art 1GW Solar PV manufacturing factory in Nigeria targeted at developing about 50% local content within the first three years.
Also, the partnership would significantly support technology transfer, capacity building, and jobs creation, as well as further Nigeria’s energy transition and industrial policy goals.
Under the strategic offtake agreement, REA expressed commitment to procure at least 200MW of solar modules per year over five years from Solarge Nigeria Ltd for NPSSI, RHIDF, and other public electrification programmes in the xountry.
The Director General Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi said at the offtake agreement signing event in Abuja that the partnership exemplifies the type of innovation and collaboration the Federal Government was seeking to promote under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.
He said the partnership would not only support the government’s fiscal sustainability goals, but also deepen Nigeria’s industrial base and energy self-reliance.
The Managing Director/CEO of REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said through the joint venture partnership, the agency would not only create access to clean energy, but build the local capacity to manufacture it.
“This initiative aligns perfectly with the Renewed Hope Agenda and our mandate to electrify communities and institutions”, he said.
For the Managing Director/CEO of InfraCorp, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, “Solarge Nigeria Limited represents a bold step toward local manufacturing and energy sovereignty. We’re proud to partner with REA and Solarge BV to build a resilient and sustainable energy future for Nigeria.”
The CEO of Solarge BV, Joost Brinkman, also expressed enthusiasm that partnership would bring the company’s technology and experience to the landmark initiative that would set a new benchmark for solar manufacturing in Africa — built by Nigerians, for Nigerians.
Solarge Nigeria Ltd would be governed by a Board of Directors representing all shareholders, including an independent non-executive director.
A dedicated Project Management Office (PMO) and Offtake Coordination Desk would ensure seamless execution, regulatory compliance, and alignment with public procurement frameworks.
The journey toward energy transition began with the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Budget Office of the Federation, InfraCorp, and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) on Thursday, August 7, 2025 to mark the formal launch of the National Public Sector Solarization Initiative (NPSSI) — a flagship government-led programme to deploy distributed solar energy solutions across public institutions such as schools, hospitals, security posts, and government offices.
The initiative would address a key national priority, namely providing clean, reliable energy to critical infrastructure, reducing diesel dependency, and cutting the public sector’s carbon footprint. The MoU also underscores stronger public-private collaboration to drive localized renewable energy manufacturing and transition Nigeria toward more sustainable energy financing models.
