• Nigeria awards first floating solar project, 7-MW plant at UNILAG

• Contract goes to CCECC; cost, financing and timeline undisclosed

• Project supports renewables as Nigeria’s power supply remains constrained

Nigeria has awarded its first floating solar photovoltaic project through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the public body responsible for off-grid and institutional electrification programmes.

The 7-megawatt (MW) plant will be installed on waters adjacent to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) campus in southwest Nigeria. The contract was awarded to the Nigerian subsidiary of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the company said on Jan. 23.

“This landmark project will deliver reliable, safe, stable, and clean electricity to one of Nigeria’s foremost academic institutions. Upon completion, it is set to become Nigeria’s first-ever floating solar power plant, marking a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy journey,” CCECC said in a post on X.

New Project Win | Lagos, Nigeria
CCECC is pleased to announce the award of the 7MW Floating Solar Power Project at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Located on the lagoon waters surrounding the UNILAG campus, this landmark project will… pic.twitter.com/C4xEEUMMxL

— CCECC (@CCECC8) January 23, 2026

The company did not disclose the project cost, financing arrangements or a timeline for completion.

An electricity sector under strain

Nigeria’s power sector remains dominated by fossil fuels and continues to struggle with limited access and weak reliability. Citing data from the Nigeria System Operator and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Agence Ecofin reported in August 2025 that the country has around 14,000 MW of installed capacity, but typically generates only 4,000 to 6,000 MW.

Electricity access also remains uneven. World Bank data show that 61.2% of Nigerians had access to electricity in 2023, with many households relying on private supply or backup generators to meet daily needs.

In this context, solar power is expanding, although it still represents a small share of the national energy mix. According to the Africa Solar Industry Association, Nigeria added 63.5 MW of solar capacity in 2024, bringing cumulative installed capacity to about 385.7 MW.

Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), published in October 2025, also show that solar panel imports rose by 17.29% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Floating solar spreads beyond Nigeria

Floating solar photovoltaics are also being developed in other African countries seeking to ease energy constraints. In October 2025, Agence Ecofin reported the launch of a floating solar project in the Seychelles designed to cut the country’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Zambia has explored similar technology since February 2023, as authorities studied floating solar as a way to offset declining hydropower output linked to low water levels.

In Morocco, the Oued Rmel dam in the north hosts the country’s first floating solar plant. With a planned capacity of 13 MW, the project relies on around 400 platforms that will eventually support nearly 22,000 panels, and entered its testing phase in late August 2025.

In Ghana, a 5-MW floating solar plant was inaugurated in April 2025 on the Black Volta River, according to available reports.

The Solarize Africa Market Report 2023, published on June 6 by the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft, says Africa has the world’s strongest potential for floating solar generation. Floating solar involves installing photovoltaic panels on reservoirs and other artificial water bodies.

Abdel-Latif Boureima