Solar for All: Suleiman Umar Backs Local Production That Puts People First

 

Honourable Suleiman Umar, Niger State Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, has backed the Federal Government’s push for locally made solar panels and battery production in Nigeria, but he cautioned that the shift to ban importation must be done carefully to avoid hardship for citizens.

Speaking in response to last week’s solar power media training in Abuja, where energy experts warned against an abrupt restriction on solar panel imports, Hon. Suleiman Umar said he fully agrees with both the government’s policy direction and the advice of stakeholders in the energy sector. The experts had called for a gradual phase-out of imports over several years rather than an outright ban, after the Federal Government announced plans to halt solar panel imports following over N200 billion in investments to encourage domestic production.

“We support local manufacturing of solar panels with our whole heart,” Hon. Suleiman Umar said. “We want to see factories in our states, jobs for our youths, and a supply chain that begins and ends on our soil. And Niger State is ready to play its part.”

But like the experts at the Abuja event, he stressed that rushing the process would create more difficult times for people. Joseph Ibrahim, Nigeria campaign director of the Secure Energy Project, had warned that sudden policy shifts risk making solar power too expensive for the millions who rely on it for survival. Hon. Suleiman Umar echoed that view, saying the right approach is to make solar available while simultaneously building our local capacity and reducing importation step by step.

“A phased roadmap of three to five years gives investors time to build plants, our workers time to learn specialised skills, and our economy time to adjust without losing power,” he noted. “If we rush this, we punish the same homes, schools, and small businesses we are trying to help.”

Hon. Suleiman Umar said local production will create more job opportunities and skilled manpower for sustainable growth. It will reduce dependence on government jobs, create youth empowerment and reduce crime because young people will have real work in factories, installation, and maintenance. It will also boost the economy and encourage local businesses and investors from every community in Nigeria to participate in the energy value chain.

For this to work, he added, Nigeria needs policy stability, access to financing, and strict quality standards. “We don’t just need new laws; we need an enabling environment. Policies that don’t change with the wind,” he said, aligning with Ibrahim’s call at the training.

Hon. Suleiman Umar affirmed that Niger State will support the Federal Government’s goal while protecting Nigerlites from sudden price shocks. The aim is simple: keep solar power affordable and available now, build our factories and train our people at the same time, and slowly cut down imports as local capacity grows. That is how we secure power, create jobs, and deliver lasting development for Niger State.

Together We Shall Light Up Power State!

A.B Makama 

Media Strategist To Honorable Commissioner Power and Renewable Energy