From sunshine to paychecks

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Welcome to Green Jobs Rising! 

Africa holds immense, largely untapped potential for solar energy, thanks to some of the highest solar irradiance levels in the world. Solar power is increasingly seen as a critical solution to the continent’s energy access challenges, particularly in rural communities where electricity remains scarce. 

In a major step forward, Tranos, a Nigeria-based manufacturing firm, has commenced construction of a solar PV panel factory in Ogun State. The new campus will initially produce 400 MW of panels per year, with plans to scale up to 800 MW annually by 2027. Once fully operational, it will increase Nigeria’s total solar panel manufacturing capacity to approximately 1,100 MW.  

Currently, Nigeria relies heavily on imported solar panels to meet its growing energy needs. With this new factory, the country is taking a big step toward producing a significant share of its current solar demand locally. That’s a major win for energy security, local industry, and, even more importantly, green jobs.  

The drive to localise solar manufacturing gained momentum after the Nigerian government proposed restrictions on solar panel imports. This policy shift sparked interest from local players like LPV Technologies and NASENI. But Tranos’ factory is the first of its scale, placing Nigeria just behind South Africa in terms of domestic solar panel production capacity. 

Why does this matter? Once fully operational, the factory is expected to grow its workforce from 160 to around 400 employees over the next two years. These roles will span manufacturing, engineering, logistics, quality control, and other areas within the clean energy supply chain. 

This investment marks a critical step in building a sustainable, locally driven solar ecosystem in Nigeria, one that extends across Africa, supports long-term energy access, and delivers real economic benefits through green jobs.