Vice President Yemi Osinbajo performing the foundation stone-laying ceremony of NASENI Solar Cells Production Plant, Gora, while being assisted by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof.Mohammed Haruna in Gora, Nasarawa State.

…… Project to Gulp Over 171million USD

As Nigerians continued to groan over the epileptic power supply, the Federal Government on Friday took a bold step to establish the first solar cell production factory in West Africa.

When fully built and operational, the factory pioneered by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is expected to boost solar energy and power supply as well as engender Industrial development in Nigeria.

Performing the foundation laying ceremony of the Solar Plant in Gora, Nasarawa State, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the landmark achievement by NASENI  places Nigeria within the ranks of countries pushing the boundaries in the use of climate-smart alternative energy sources, particularly solar power

According to the Vice President, “For over ten years, NASENI has been consistent in championing solar power as alternative to hydro and fossil power sourcing.  And it was to this end that  the Agency established NASENI Solar Energy Limited (NSEL) in Karshi, Federal Capital Territory, with a mandate to deliver alternative solar energy to homes and businesses in Nigeria.

“The development and maturity of the NASENI Solar Energy Ltd whose operations have been driven with the vim and zest of a tech start-up, forecast an increase in local contents of the solar energy production system in Nigeria, leading to ever-increasing production of solar cells.

Analysing NASENI’s giant achievement in recent years, Prof Osinbajo attributed the break through to the Federal government’s proactive steps to approve 1% of the federation account  annually as prescribed by its founding law for NASENI.

“It is evident that this has heralded a new dispensation for NASENI, one that has given it the financial wherewithal to execute its mandate of delivering technological and innovative interventions across critical sectors of the economy, including Agriculture, Health, Defence and Security, Power and Energy, Financial Services, Solid Minerals, Additive Manufacturing, Smart Fabrications, Factories, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and Virtual Manufacturing” he said.

The Vice President said the Nigerian Energy Transition Plan, approved by the Federal Executive Council last year sets out the nation’s pathway to decarbonisation by 2060 and achieving universal energy access by 2030, adding that the Energy Transition Plan projects, an increase in the use of solar power in the Nigerian energy mix will surpass even gas by 2035.

“Solar cells are critical to the entire solar energy value chain, because they determine the sensitivity of solar panels to trap and accumulate solar energy from the sun. But perhaps more importantly given the urgency of climate action today and the importance of developing African green energy, manufacturing and solutions, NASENI’s   solar cells production factory in Nigeria will be a game-changer.

According to the Vice President, Sub-Saharan Africa, $50 billion worth of diesel fuel is used each year, with diesel generators producing more energy than the entire energy grid in 17 countries in the region. The resultant emissions of carbon monoxide has since become a major and worrying source of pollution. In Nigeria, for example, generator emissions are equivalent to emissions from all of the country’s 11 million  cars put together. This is clearly unsustainable and calls for a significant shift”

He went further to say “The prudent decision to site the factory in Gora, Nasarawa State, leverages translational research into the bio-geography, geological surveys, and mining cadastral reconnaissance that has positioned Nasarawa as the home of solid minerals in Nigeria.

The major raw material requirements for the production of Solar cells – silicon and silica are naturally occuring in abundance in this area.

“We are grateful to the good people of Nasarawa for hosting this important project and congratulate you in advance for the positive boost it is certain to bring to the local economy”

Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof  Mohammed Haruna said the production and research plant consists of four main production sections on a 15.8 hectres of land in Gora

The four main production sections, he said include “Polysilicon section of 1,000 ton per annum, Ingot of 50MW per annum, Wafers of 50MW per annum and Solar cells of 50MW per annum”

The NASENI boss revealed that the project has been estimated to “cost a total of 171, 970, 000 million dollars with 85% funding equivalent of 146,174,5000 million dollars support from China Africa Development Bank (CAD) fund through the Bank of China and 15% local counterpart funding, equivalent of 25,795,500 million dollars from Nigeria

“The other two projects are Electric Power Transformer Production Plant at $2123, 990 USD and High Voltage Testing Laboratory at $29,900,690 USD. The total cost approved for the three projects is $325,860,690 and a total of $276,981,586.5, representing 85% from China. The 15% counterpart for the three projects is $48,879,103.5 and NASENI has instalmentally remitted up to 46.89% or $22,921,505.40 of the 15%.

Excess capacity of Polysilicon and future expansion of wafers and solar cells production will lead to exportation for foreign exchange earnings”

In his remarks, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. Abdullahi Sule lauded the Federal Government’s efforts at investing in alternative source of power that would invariably become cheaper to afford by ordinary Nigerians, adding that the project if completed will provide job opportunities for the people of Nasarawa State

The event was attended by the National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, Cabinet Ministers and Traditional Rulers from the state.