LAGOS, July 7 – Africa’s biggest solar mini-grid operator WeLight has announced plans to invest $650 million to expand solar mini-grid infrastructure across Nigeria, as it seeks to accelerate electricity access in communities with limited or no connection to the national grid.
The investment, equivalent to approximately ₦975 billion, was disclosed in a post on X by Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media.
According to the company, the initiative is designed to increase its rural customer base tenfold while expanding access to reliable and clean electricity in underserved parts of the country.
WeLight said the expansion will focus on communities that continue to face inadequate power supply due to limited national grid coverage and persistent electricity disruptions.
The company plans to deploy decentralised solar mini-grids capable of supplying electricity directly to households, businesses and public facilities, reducing reliance on Nigeria’s centralised transmission network operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The investment will finance the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems alongside lithium-ion battery storage, enabling continuous electricity supply even when solar generation is unavailable.
The project comes as millions of Nigerians continue to depend on petrol and diesel generators for electricity because of unreliable grid power, increasing energy costs for households and businesses.
By expanding decentralised renewable energy infrastructure, the initiative is expected to improve electricity access, lower dependence on fossil fuel-powered generators and support economic activity in rural and underserved communities.
The planned investment also aligns with Nigeria’s broader efforts to expand renewable energy deployment and improve electricity access as part of its long-term energy transition strategy.
