Professor Bart Nnaji, Chairman of Geometric Power Limited, has called for a transition period before the Nigerian government enforces a ban on solar panel imports.

Speaking on Arise News TV, Nnaji expressed concerns about the country’s readiness to produce enough solar panels domestically. He stated, “Do we have the capacity to produce solar panels to support what we want in Nigeria? I am not sure that we are there yet.”Nnaji also questioned the immediate effectiveness of solar energy in solving Nigeria’s chronic power issues, suggesting that natural gas should be prioritized.

“We have an abundance of natural gas. We should capitalise on its abundance to build power plants,” he said, urging the government to balance investments in both solar and natural gas-based energy solutions.

He welcomed the government’s newly introduced National Electricity Integrated Policy, stating that any policy aimed at expanding power supply was a step in the right direction.

However, Nnaji emphasized that the success of this policy hinges on improving Nigeria’s electricity transmission infrastructure and ensuring investments in power distribution.

“The transmission infrastructure is not going to be able to carry the required power in the nation. We need at least 100,000 megawatts of power,” he added.

Nnaji further stressed the need for electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) to be creditworthy, suggesting that without solid financial backing, power generation would continue to face challenges.

“If we want to have electricity, it must be paid for. It is a matter of economics,” he concluded.

The expert’s comments come as Nigeria continues to struggle with power shortages, which he says can only be resolved through strategic investment in both generation and distribution sectors.