President of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), Ayo Ademilua, has said renewable energy has become indispensable to the country’s future energy mix and called for stronger collaboration among government, regulators, financial institutions, development partners and the private sector to unlock the immense opportunities within the industry.
Speaking during the Solar and Storage Live Nigeria 2026, he described Nigeria’s renewable energy sector as being at a defining moment.
Head, Communications
Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), Ms. Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, made this known in a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja on Friday.
Ademilua said the next phase of Nigeria’s energy transition must prioritise local manufacturing, affordable financing, technical capacity development, innovation, quality assurance and an enabling policy environment that encourages long-term private sector investment.
The event, is a global conference and exhibition, where leaders from government, industry, development finance institutions and the private sector came together at the Landmark Event Centre to identify practical solutions for expanding renewable energy across the country.
Leading the implementing team, REAN’s Chief Executive Officer, Motunrayo Akinfala, coordinated the Association’s extensive engagement throughout the conference, which held in Lagos, ensuring effective stakeholder participation, strategic partnerships and seamless execution of REAN’s activities as the conference’s Official Partner.
Speaking during the event, Akinfala stressed that while Nigeria has made notable progress in renewable energy policy, the industry must now shift its focus towards implementation.
‘The time has come for us to move from talk to action. We have held the conversations, developed policies and built strong partnerships. Our priority now must be accelerating implementation, mobilizing investment, supporting local businesses, enforcing quality standards and delivering reliable clean energy solutions that positively impact millions of Nigerians,’ she said.
Bringing together key decision-makers from across the energy ecosystem, the conference created an opportunity for stakeholders to move beyond discussions on energy access and focus on building a stronger renewable energy market capable of powering industries, creating jobs and supporting economic development.
Throughout the two-day event, policymakers, regulatory agencies, development partners, financial institutions, leading renewable energy companies and participants, examined the major issues pertinent to the future of the sector with conversations centred on attracting long-term investment, fiscal incentives and local content, expanding state electricity markets, increasing access to finance, strengthening local manufacturing, developing the skilled workforce required to support the industry’s continued growth, product quality assurance and the growing role of battery storage in meeting Nigeria’s increasing electricity demand.
Participants also underscored the urgent need to eliminate substandard solar products from the Nigerian market through stronger regulatory enforcement, certification systems, installer competency and increased consumer awareness.
The conference concluded with a shared commitment among stakeholders to deepen collaboration, strengthen policy implementation and create a more enabling business environment that will accelerate renewable energy deployment across Nigeria.
As the leading renewable energy industry association, REAN said it is committed to a continued close working relationship with government, regulators, investors, development partners and its growing membership to champion policies and initiatives that expand energy access, stimulate investment, create jobs and support Nigeria’s transition to a sustainable, resilient and inclusive energy future.