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The short answer
In our worked example, a 5kVA solar system with lithium battery and 8 x 590W panels, reported as costing about ₦4 million in April 2026, works out at about ₦110 per kWh if it supplies 10 kWh a day for ten years, against ₦172 per kWh for MainPower Band A grid power (₦160 plus 7.5% VAT, as set by EERC from August 2025). If the system lasts only five years, the solar figure doubles to about ₦219 per kWh, so the answer depends on lifespan, your band and how much power you actually use.
The question "is solar cheaper than NEPA?" has no single answer in Enugu. It depends on what you pay per unit from the grid, how many hours of supply you get, what the system costs and how long it lasts. What you can do is put both on the same footing: naira per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This guide shows how, with a fully labelled example you can redo with your own quotes.
The grid side: what a kWh costs in Enugu
In Enugu State, MainPower distributes power and the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission sets tariffs. TechEconomy reported on 26 July 2025 that EERC cut Band A from ₦209 to ₦160 per kWh and froze the other bands, effective 1 August 2025. EEDC's tariff notice (July 2024) says tariffs are subject to 7.5% VAT; check your receipt for whether VAT is applied to your MainPower purchase.
- Band A, Enugu State (EERC, from 1 Aug 2025)
- ₦160 per kWh; with 7.5% VAT, ₦172
- Band B, EEDC table (July 2024)
- ₦66.47 per kWh non-MD; with VAT, about ₦71.46
- Supply hours by band (EEDC notice)
- A: 20h+, B: 16h+, C: 12h+, D: 8h+, E: 4h+
Your band rate is on every token receipt. Lower bands pay much less per unit but get fewer hours, which is often why households there look at solar: not to cut the unit price, but to fill the hours with no supply.
The solar side: a reported system cost
Prices for panels, inverters and batteries move with the exchange rate and differ by brand and installer, so any figure is a snapshot. Legit.ng reported on 22 April 2026 that a Nigerian buyer installed a 5kVA inverter with a 5kW lithium battery and eight 590-watt panels, and said it cost about ₦3.75 million, which she rounded to about ₦4 million. We use ₦4 million below. It is one reported purchase, not a market average; get at least two written quotes.
Worked example: cost per kWh
- Panel capacity: 8 × 590 W = 4,720 W, or 4.72 kW.
- Assumed daily output: 4 hours of equivalent full sun and 25% losses (heat, dust, inverter, battery): 4.72 × 4 × 0.75 = 14.16 kWh a day at best.
- Assumed useful energy: the household uses 10 kWh a day from the system, since surplus on sunny afternoons is wasted once the battery is full.
- Assumed life: 10 years with no major part replaced: 10 × 365 × 10 = 36,500 kWh.
- Solar cost per kWh: ₦4,000,000 ÷ 36,500 = about ₦109.59.
- Grid Band A cost per kWh: ₦160 × 1.075 = ₦172.00.
On these assumptions solar costs about ₦62 less per kWh than Band A grid power. Over the same 36,500 kWh, the grid would cost 36,500 × ₦172 = ₦6,278,000, against ₦4,000,000 for the system.
Change one assumption
| Scenario (example) | Lifetime kWh | Solar ₦/kWh | Compared with Band A ₦172 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base case: 10 kWh/day, 10 years | 36,500 | ≈109.59 | Cheaper |
| Battery or inverter fails at 5 years, not replaced | 18,250 | ≈219.18 | Dearer |
| Only 6 kWh/day used, 10 years | 21,900 | ≈182.65 | Slightly dearer |
| Band B home, grid ₦71.46 with VAT | 36,500 | ≈109.59 | Dearer than grid per unit |
The lesson: solar beats Band A grid power per unit only if you use most of what it produces and it lasts. For a Band B to E home, the grid is cheaper per unit, and the case for solar is the hours without supply, measured against what you spend on a generator in those hours.
The generator comparison
Example only. If a Band C home runs a petrol generator for six hours each evening, the cost per kWh depends on fuel price and how hard the generator works. Record a week of fuel purchases and divide by the hours run; then compare that weekly spend with what a solar system's cost per week would be over its assumed life. ₦4,000,000 over ten years is about ₦7,692 a week (₦4,000,000 ÷ 520 weeks). If your generator spending is above that, solar may pay for itself on these assumptions.
What the example leaves out
- Battery replacement cost, which can be a large share of the system price.
- Maintenance, panel cleaning and installer call-outs.
- The cost of money: ₦4 million saved or borrowed has a cost of its own.
- Generator fuel avoided, which for many Enugu households is the real comparison.
What to check first
- Your band and rate on a recent receipt; see EEDC tariff today and EERC Band A explained.
- Your daily use: track your meter balance for a week; see checking units left.
- Written quotes listing brand, capacity, battery kWh and warranty for each part.
Where Pryme fits
Most households buy solar in stages. A naira Savings Box can hold the money for each stage, and our Lagos guide on saving for an inverter or solar setup shows one way to plan it.
Questions people ask
Is solar cheaper than EEDC light in Enugu?
It can be per unit compared with Band A, if the system lasts and you use most of its output. In our example it worked out at about ₦110 per kWh against ₦172 for Band A with VAT. For Bands B to E the grid is cheaper per unit.
How much is a 5kVA solar system in Nigeria?
Prices vary by brand and installer. Legit.ng reported in April 2026 one buyer paying about ₦3.75 million to ₦4 million for a 5kVA inverter, 5kW lithium battery and eight 590W panels. Get written quotes.
What is MainPower's Band A tariff?
EERC set it at ₦160 per kWh from 1 August 2025, down from ₦209. Check your receipt for the current rate and VAT.
How many units does a 5kVA solar system produce a day?
It depends on panels and sunshine, not the inverter rating. Eight 590W panels at an assumed 4 hours of full sun and 25% losses give about 14 kWh a day at best.
Sources
- TechEconomy: EERC insists on electricity tariff reduction (26 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- EEDC: Current Tariff page, End-User Tariff table (image dated July 2024, page updated 10 Jul 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Legit.ng: Woman buys 5kVA solar inverter with lithium batteries and displays total cost (22 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nairametrics: MainPower blames technical glitches for Enugu power outage; EERC tariff order (11 Aug 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.