Nigeria’s First Privately-owned 100MW Solar PV Module Assembly Factory Takes Off in Lagos

Peter Uzoho

All On, a Shell-funded impact investment company, and Auxano Solar Nigeria Limited have brought to operation Nigeria’s biggest fully-automated 100 Megawatts (MW) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) module assembly factory located in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

The plant is targeted at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported solar panels, thereby driving down foreign exchange costs and creating economies of scale in the use of climate-smart alternative energy sources.

The landmark solar PV assembling plant, financed by All On, as part of its $2 million investment in Auxano Solar in 2021 has the capacity to produce 150 solar panels daily, 3,000 panels monthly, and about 72,000 panels yearly.

Speaking at the inauguration, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, All On, Caroline Eboumbou, said the facility represented a significant milestone in the growth and development of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria and Africa at large.

According to her, All On has been there with Auxano from the early days – from a $50,000 investment in 2018 to a much larger $1.5 million investment in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19  disruption to an additional $500,000 in 2022.

She said: “The success of Auxano as the first privately-owned solar assembly factory is a triumph for the promotion of local manufacturing within the Nigerian renewable energy sector.”

Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, who was represented at the event by Shell All On board member, Hans Nijkamp, said: “The Auxano project is a visual representation of what we at Shell, hoped to achieve when we established All On in 2017.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auxano Solar Nigeria, Chuks Umezulora, emphasised that inaugurating the 100MW automated solar panel factory was a dream come true.

Umezulora stated: “Nigeria may be behind on so many things necessary for development, but I am determined to be a part of the solution. This factory is my contribution to the growth of our economy, and I hope my story of grit and dedication inspires someone to try something even bigger. Go for it, because you can.”