Nigeria breaks ground on solar cell production facility

• Nigeria on Friday launched building and construction of what is called the first solar cell manufacturing facility in West Africa.

The project, located in Gora in the state of Nasarawa in the north central area of Nigeria, is led by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). The foundation laying ceremony was carried out by the nation's vice president Yemi Osinbajo.

NASENI has a solar panel manufacturing plant in Karshi Abuja however it does not produce solar cells.

"10 years ago, NASENI established its 7.5 MW solar panel manufacturing plant. Its capacity is currently 21 MW," Osinbajo claimed in a statement. He added that the vital major raw materials for the manufacturing of solar cells-- silicon as well as silica-- are naturally happening in wealth in Nasarawa.

Osinbajo likewise pointed out that Nigeria's Energy Transition Plan targets decarbonisation by 2060 and universal energy accessibility by 2030.

Neighborhood media mentioned NASENI exec vice chairman as well as president Mohammad Sani Haruna as saying that the project is part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NASENI and the China Great Wall Surface Sector Corporation (CGWIC) and would consist of production of polysilicon, along with ingot, wafers and also solar cells each of 50 MW each year.