In a community long accustomed to the frustrations of erratic electricity supply, a quiet revolution is taking place.
From rooftops to roadside shops, solar panels are becoming a common sight in parts of Igando, as residents increasingly turn to renewable energy to power their homes and businesses.
Igando, located in the northwest of Lagos, falls within Alimosho Local Government Area — the city’s largest constituency. It is linked by road to Ikotun and Iyana-Oba, where the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo campus, is situated. Once regarded as a sleepy rural settlement, Igando derived its name from the Yoruba phrase “Igan-odo” — a place near three anthills. For decades, it was considered too remote for settlement, and its development trailed behind other parts of Lagos.
But that image has changed. With Lagos’ population boom, more residents began developing properties in the area. Today, Igando has transformed into a vibrant community of housing estates, bustling markets, and an influx of new settlers. Yet one problem persists — electricity.
For years, power supply from the national grid here has been unreliable — rationed, unpredictable, and, in recent months, worse than ever. In some areas, electricity comes only every other day, often arriving late at night and disappearing before dawn.
For many households, the removal of petrol subsidy made running fuel-powered generators unaffordable. But instead of resigning themselves to darkness, residents have embraced solar energy.
On Isuti Road in Egan-Igando, Mr. Dessy Chika and his family relax in a brightly lit sitting room on a night when the rest of the neighborhood is in darkness. His home is powered entirely by solar panels and inverters — an investment he says has changed their lives.
“When I came back from Malaysia this year, I was disappointed that power supply was so poor. Sometimes we stayed days without light. Later, they started giving us light one day on and one day off, often from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. At that time, I was budgeting between ₦100,000 and ₦150,000 monthly for fueling the generator,” Chika explained.
“When fuel became too expensive after subsidy removal, coping became difficult. Then a friend introduced me to renewable energy. I spent about ₦2.5 million to install solar equipment, enough to power everything in the house. It has been a blessing. The beauty is that there’s no noise like a generator. It is clean energy. The only challenge is that during cloudy days the panels don’t charge fully, so power may not last through the night.”
The shift isn’t limited to wealthy households. Across Paul Oke, Falana, Shoga, Fatoki, and Saudi streets, residents have installed solar systems according to their means — from full home setups to smaller solutions for lights, fans, or phone charging.
“The benefits outweigh those of NEPA. I use solar at home and in my office. I’m at peace whenever they take light, because the system switches on automatically without stress,” said Mrs. Peace, a resident of Fatoki Street.
“It is very good and beneficial for both homes and businesses. Unlike the power company that brings crazy bills, solar is a one-time investment that serves you for many years without further payments,” added Benjamin, who runs a food shop on Shoga Street.
Vendors are also cashing in, with renewable energy shops springing up in Igando and nearby Ikotun. Flexible payment plans are making solar more accessible.
Mrs. Paula Nweke, who is pregnant, said her husband bought a solar rechargeable fan for ₦85,000 to help her cope with the heat during blackouts.
“We even use the fan to charge phones. My neighbor’s fan also has light, so it cools, lights up the room, and charges phones at the same time. Since we bought ours, we no longer go to commercial phone charging centers, saving at least ₦500 daily. Many people here don’t even bother with PHCN again because they have solar at home. The poor go to those who have solar to charge their bulbs and power banks.”
Experts say Igando’s example underscores what is possible nationwide if Nigeria harnesses its abundant sunshine. According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, the country receives an average of 6.26 hours of daily sunshine at the coast, and even more in the north — energy equivalent to millions of tonnes of oil.
Yet Nigeria’s installed generation capacity of 8,846 MW delivers barely half that to consumers, hampered by weak infrastructure and frequent grid collapses — at least 12 times in 2024 alone.
Energy consultant Jack Ekano believes solar power is Nigeria’s way forward. “We have the sunlight. What we lack is the political will and supportive policies. If duties on imported solar equipment are waived and local production encouraged, costs will fall and more people will adopt it,” he said.
Economist Prof. Chris Onalo agrees, stressing that stable power — whether renewable or mixed — would transform the economy.
“You can imagine if this country can generate 20,000 to 40,000 megawatts, which is the benchmark for its size. The man or woman in the village would create enough enterprise to be self-reliant. There would be mass economic empowerment because regular power drives economic activity.”
For now, Igando residents are showing the rest of the country that adaptation is possible. As Chika put it:
“We couldn’t wait for the government to fix the power problem. We fixed it ourselves.”
If their example is embraced nationwide, Nigeria could turn its greatest energy challenge into an opportunity for lasting change.
Reporting by Innocent Onoh