The honest answer for a commercial solar plus storage project in Africa is three to five months from first call to first kilowatt-hour — most of it shipping and paperwork, not construction. Here is where the time goes.
Key facts
- Audit and proposal: 1–3 weeks.
- Contract and, for local-currency deals, bank guarantee and insurance: 2–6 weeks.
- Procurement and shipping: 8–10 weeks — the long pole.
- Installation and commissioning: 2–4 weeks on site. Order-to-operational: 10–14 weeks.
Before the order
Remote audit from bills and photos, an on-site metering visit, then a written proposal. Dollar-earning customers can sign within days; naira contracts take longer because the bank guarantee and insurance are arranged in parallel.
After the order
Equipment is ordered against confirmed pricing (freight and exchange rates move, so quotes carry a short validity), consolidated into a container, shipped to Lagos, Tema or Nouakchott, cleared, hauled to site. Meanwhile the local partner prepares foundations, cable routes and the cabinet pad.
On site
Mounting and panels first, then cabinets and inverters, then cold rooms if included. Commissioning against a written checklist, staff training, and a monitored handover. Changeover from the generator is done on a planned night.
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Can it be faster?
Portable products ship from stock; a small direct-purchase system can be 6–8 weeks if equipment is available.
What delays projects most?
Customs clearance and roof repairs discovered late — the audit catches the second.