By Seun Adams
Nigeria’s electricity deficit is set to receive a boost as the National Agency for Science Engineering and Infrastructure (NASENI) will soon begin local production of solar cell.
Solar cell is one of the most important components of solar panel used for solar energy generation as the groundbreaking ceremony of NASENI Solar Cell Production Plant will soon take off in Gora, Nasarawa State.
The plant when fully operational will be one of the largest solar cell production plants in Africa, thereby enabling Nigeria to go into full production of 100% local content of solar panel.
Nigeria already has a 7.5-megawatt Solar Panel Production Plant in Karshi Abuja run by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) but the plant for now does not produce solar cells.
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed NASENI to go into production of solar cells to boost the country’s alternative source of power generation.
This is one of the promises kept by the present administration to provide employment for the teeming unemployed Nigeria Youths, create wealth for the nation and ensure that industrial revolution and economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government are achieved.
NASENI is already in collaboration with China Great Wall Industries Corporation (CGWIC) on 3 key projects in power sector: Electric Power Transformer Production, Solar Cells Manufacturing and High Voltage Testing Laboratories.
In order to carry out this directive, NASENI acquired a 15. 8 hectares of land in Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State to start the establishment of the plant in Nigeria and the groundbreaking and foundation laying stone will be carried out soon for effective take-off of the plant.
A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device which converts light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect and products of silicon.
Silicon is obtained from silica, which is nothing other than the common sand. With the establishment of the plant, solar power supply will be affordable because the most expensive components are the cells.
Speaking at the on-spot inspection of work at the site, the representative of the Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, Mrs.Nonyem Onyechi who is also the Coordinating Director of Planning and Business Development (PBD) Directorate, NASENI Headquarters and Chairman Standing Committee On Commissioning of NASENI Projects, said the groundbreaking ceremony of the Solar Cell Plant will soon take off.
Onyechi, who was impressed on the progress made so far, compared to the last visit by the committee, said with the progress made so far the groundbreaking date was achievable, adding that with the establishment of the plant, Nigeria would have alternative source of power generation.
She however, advised the contractor to ensure that all that were required for the groundbreaking are on ground by the time the committee visited the site before the event proper.
Also speaking, the Director of Procurement, Dr. Mohammed Mohammed said all the challenges facing the progress of the work as stated by the contractor would be addressed . He however advised the contractor to ensure that all the pending negotiations concerning the site were settled as soon as possible.
In a similar event, the committee proceeded to Keffi to inspect the progress made on the Skill Acquisition Center.
At the site, the committee commended the work and agreed that the technical subcommittee should take over the work and ensure that all that is required for the Commissioning of the centre are put in place.
Also, they were asked to take over Solar Cell Plant, Gora and ASIP Kaduna to ensure that all the technical hitches are taken care off.
Signed: Obiorah Chinyere
Chief Information Officer
NASENI.
