Nigeria is the largest commercial solar market in Africa by need and one of the most confusing by offer. This guide sets out the questions that matter for a business deciding between a generator, a purchase and a service contract.
Key facts
- Most C&I sites see 4–6 hours of grid a day; the rest is diesel.
- A generator burns ~0.28 L/kWh; 1,000 litres a day is roughly a 250 kW+ solar site.
- Frontières Bay's Phase 1 is 10–15 sites across Nigeria — Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the northern agricultural states.
- Naira-earning businesses qualify for service contracts from about US$1M of equipment; dollar earners from a single site.
Which sites make sense first
Sites with a cold load or heavy motor load running most of the day: fish and frozen-food distributors, poultry and meat processors, flour, feed and rice mills, dairies and beverage plants, hotels and hospital groups, pharma warehouses. If any two of these apply — 1,000+ litres of diesel a day, 500 kVA+ of generators, US$26,000+ a month on energy, US$5M+ revenue, two or more sites — you are a candidate.
Naira or dollars
The naira lost more than half its value against the dollar in 2023–24, so every long contract has to survive another shock. Dollar-earning exporters get standard terms from one site. Naira businesses qualify at about US$1M of equipment with four protections: a dollar-linked fee invoiced in naira, a tier-1 bank guarantee, credit and political-risk insurance, and 40% upfront. Smaller naira businesses buy outright, combine sites, or pay through a parent.
Local delivery
Installation partners in Lagos, a business development team in Abuja, and reference sites you can visit. Equipment ships to Lagos or Onne; customs is usually the buyer's responsibility on direct sales and ours under a service contract.
Nigerian site? Request the audit.
Talk to Frontières BayFrequently asked
Do you cover northern Nigeria?
Yes — Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Nasarawa and Benue are covered from Abuja, particularly for agri-processors and aggregators.
How do I start?
Request a free energy audit; we reply within 24 hours and route you to the nearest team.