The Nigerian government has intensified efforts to eliminate substandard equipment in the country’s renewable energy sector, with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Friday receiving a donation of advanced testing devices from Chinese tech giant, Huawei.
At a handover event in Abuja, REA Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, highlighted the strategic importance of the equipment, which will be used to verify the quality of both imported and locally produced renewable energy materials, especially solar panels and batteries.
Aliyu attributed the development to President Bola Tinubu’s visit to China in September 2024, which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the China-Africa cooperation framework. The agreement included Huawei’s commitment to support the establishment of a mini-grid standardisation and simulation centre in Abuja.
“We are witnessing the fulfilment of the commitments signed under that MoU,” Aliyu said. “Nigeria is positioning itself as Africa’s renewable energy hub, and to attract private sector investment in local manufacturing, we must first eliminate substandard and second-hand equipment from the market.”
He emphasised that the new testing centre will serve as a certification point for vendors, ensuring only equipment that meets REA’s standards are approved for deployment. “This will boost investor confidence and ensure the sustainability of mini-grid infrastructure nationwide,” he added.
Aliyu listed some of the 18 donated items, including a power analyser, multimeter, battery analyser, electronic load, DC power supply, pyranometer, micrometer, screw gauge, barrier caliper, computers, printers, and Huawei’s smart “Idea Hub” system.
He noted that many of the tools provided were the first of their kind in Nigeria, underlining Huawei’s and the Chinese government’s commitment to improving energy access in the country.
Also speaking, Huawei Nigeria Board Director, Zhang Jing, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s renewable energy infrastructure.
“The mini-grid systems and equipment are designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions and will help make Nigeria’s renewable energy systems more efficient and reliable,” Zhang said.
He described the partnership as a major milestone toward securing a sustainable energy future for Nigeria.
