• GZ Industries switches to solar with 2.6 MW plant

• Daystar expands Nigeria capacity to 14.7 MW with storage

• Solar adoption rises as firms tackle outages, diesel costs 

GZ Industries, a Nigerian aluminum can manufacturer, has transitioned to solar power at its production facility. Daystar Power commissioned a 2.632 MW photovoltaic plant at the company’s site in Agbara, Ogun State, it said on LinkedIn in early April. The move reflects a broader shift among Nigerian industrial operators toward off-grid energy solutions.

The installation raises Daystar’s cumulative solar capacity at the industrial hub to 14.7 MW, where it now supplies eight clients. The project also includes a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity exceeding 1.5 MWh, aimed at improving energy management at the site.

A Strategic Step for Daystar

A subsidiary of oil major Shell, Daystar has been expanding across the region. The company recently signed a contract with Société de Ciment de Côte d’Ivoire (SC CI) to develop a 5.2 MWp solar plant at its industrial site, following the commissioning of a 4.3 MWp system in Ghana in January 2024.

These parallel developments show that, while broadening its footprint across West Africa, Daystar continues to position Nigeria as its primary anchor market. They also highlight the growing role of solar power in industrial operations across Africa, particularly when combined with storage solutions.

The commissioning of the GZ Industries plant highlights rising adoption of decentralized solar power in industrial zones, where energy reliability has become critical for maintaining production continuity. Daystar said energy represents a major operating cost for large industrial users, with diesel price volatility, grid instability and maintenance costs weighing on production planning and margins.

For Nigerian manufacturers facing frequent grid outages and rising diesel costs, hybrid energy systems offer a way to secure power supply while reducing operating costs and environmental impact.

Abdoullah Diop