By Palma Ejeye
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s renewable energy industry are stepping up efforts to strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, aiming to curb the circulation of fake and substandard products.
The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) engaged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Abuja to deepen collaboration on testing, certification, capacity building, policy alignment, and stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.
REAN reaffirmed its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance, stressing that tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating inferior products from the market. The association noted that weak enforcement and gaps in existing standards have allowed substandard solar and renewable energy equipment to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.
At the high-level discussions, REAN highlighted challenges such as inconsistencies in standards, affordability concerns linked to certification processes, and delays in product testing and approval. It called for more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.
The association also urged closer collaboration among regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), to ensure harmonised standards and effective enforcement.
In response, SON acknowledged REAN’s role in supporting standardisation and confirmed that the association will be actively involved in future standard review processes and stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility.
REAN expressed readiness to support SON by sharing technical inputs and standards-related materials, while also disclosing plans to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Both organisations expressed optimism that sustained collaboration and stronger stakeholder engagement will significantly improve standardisation, encourage compliance, and support the long-term growth of Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.
