- Northern Nigeria could meet projected 2050 solar energy targets using less than 1% of existing cropland for agrivoltaics.
- Kano State would require only 0.6% to 1.8% of cropland to meet mid-century solar demand projections.
- Study identifies agrivoltaics as a potential solution to Nigeria’s food insecurity, energy poverty and climate resilience challenges.
A new study assessing agrivoltaic opportunities across Nigeria has identified the country’s northern states as the most promising regions for combined solar power and agricultural development.
The research, titled ‘Geospatial assessment of agrivoltaic opportunities and land use requirements in Nigeria’, provides the first national scale spatial analysis of how agrivoltaic systems could support Nigeria’s energy transition while strengthening food security and rural livelihoods.
Agrivoltaics involves the co-location of solar photovoltaic infrastructure and agricultural activities on the same land. The approach is gaining traction globally as countries seek to expand renewable energy generation without displacing food production.
Researchers found that northern Nigerian states including Kano, Katsina and Jigawa offer the strongest potential for agrivoltaic deployment due to the convergence of high solar irradiance, extensive cropland, significant water stress and low electricity access rates.
According to the study, these conditions create opportunities for agrivoltaic systems to deliver multiple benefits, including reduced crop heat stress, lower irrigation requirements and improved land productivity through simultaneous food and electricity generation.
The report noted that agrivoltaic systems have already demonstrated positive results in parts of East Africa, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania, where pilot projects showed improved crop survival and lower water consumption during hotter and drier periods.
Nigeria faces mounting pressure on both its agricultural and energy sectors. Agriculture contributes almost one quarter of the country’s gross domestic product, while a large proportion of Nigerians rely on farming for their livelihoods. At the same time, around 40% of the population lacks access to electricity, rising to nearly 70% in rural areas.
Researchers argue that decentralised agrivoltaic systems could help address these overlapping challenges by providing off grid renewable energy solutions to farming communities while maintaining agricultural productivity.
One of the study’s most significant findings relates to land use requirements. The analysis estimates that several northern states could achieve their projected 2050 solar energy targets by dedicating less than 1% of existing cropland to agrivoltaic infrastructure.
In Kano State, Nigeria’s most populous state, researchers estimate that allocating just 0.6% to 1.8% of cropland would be sufficient to meet projected mid century solar energy demand.
By contrast, southern states with more humid climates, lower solar irradiance and less available cropland would require substantially larger land allocations ranging from 5.9% to 18.9% to achieve comparable solar generation targets.
The study highlighted that southern Nigeria’s dense forest cover and fragmented agricultural landscape reduce the relative suitability of agrivoltaic systems compared to the north.
Researchers said the findings establish a spatial framework that could guide future renewable energy planning and investment decisions in Nigeria. However, they cautioned that the assessment remains an early stage national analysis and does not yet capture local climate variability, crop specific performance or farm level decision making.
The report called for additional field trials across Nigeria to better understand how local crops respond to shading from solar panels and to optimise agrivoltaic system designs for different agricultural environments.
The study also stressed the importance of incorporating higher resolution geospatial data, socioeconomic analysis and community engagement into future planning processes to ensure equitable deployment.
Despite these limitations, researchers concluded that agrivoltaics could become a climate smart solution for Nigeria by simultaneously addressing food energy security linkages, reducing energy poverty and supporting progress toward sustainable development goals.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
