Barriers and motivations for solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption in urban Nigeria

Abstract

For decades, Nigerian households have endured unreliable national electricity supply which have stifled economic growth and socio-economic development. As nations shift to green electricity adoption and a commitment to lowering their carbon footprint, opportunities arise for developing countries like Nigeria to improve supply using solar PV for power generation. At over 50% private power systems ownership, the majority of urban Nigerian households rely on self-generation using expensive petrol and diesel-powered generators. With PV generated electricity increasingly becoming more cost-competitive with conventional sources due to technological learning and support policies, this paper investigates the barriers to and motivations for PV adoption in urban Nigeria. Using interviews, data were gathered on key barriers to and motivations for PV adoption and results analysed. Findings indicate that the major barriers are high capital costs and lack of finance. The key motivation for PV adoption was power outages, energy cost-savings including generator use fuel fraud, awareness and access to finance. The results point to the need for regulatory and political intervention. Effective PV awareness creation campaigns and promotional strategies would also be necessary in the changing face of electricity supply in Nigeria.