Independent power producer · Edo State, Nigeria
ENERGHEA is developing a 19.35 MWp solar plant at Gbokuli, in Ovia North-East, on 70 acres of freehold land. Designed by Studio Santi and built in three blocks, it will supply industrial customers, the surrounding communities and the distribution network.
Why it works
Industrial and commercial users in Edo State self-generate with petrol and diesel at four to six times the regulated grid tariff, and carry the fuel logistics, the maintenance and the downtime themselves.
Sources: NERC Band A tariff, 2025. Generator ranges are ENERGHEA estimates of self-generation costs in Edo State, fuel only.
| Source of supply | NGN per kWh | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol generator, small commercial | 600–900 | On demand, at cost |
| Diesel generator, industrial | 450–750 | On demand, at cost |
| Grid, NERC Band A | 219–241 | 20+ hours a day when supplied |
ENERGHEA supplies the same energy from the sun, firm through daylight hours, at a price set below the regulated tariff.
No capital outlay. No payback period for the customer. A lower bill from the first invoice, and a supplier whose interest is in keeping that supply continuous.
A customer running a 500 kVA diesel generator ten hours a day spends its energy budget on fuel before it spends anything on maintenance, on the generator, or on the failures. On the same consumption, ENERGHEA cuts that bill by roughly three quarters.
The plant
The layout, array configuration and electrical architecture are the work of Studio Santi, the Italian engineering practice named Advisor of the Year at the 2025 AFSIA Solar Awards for its solar projects across Africa. Studio Santi stays with the project through detailed design, tender and construction supervision.
Each block is electrically complete and sells power on its own. Commitment to the next block follows the demonstrated performance of the one before it, so capital is deployed against an operating record rather than a forecast.
Carries the one-off works: grid connection, monitoring platform and site establishment.
Committed on Block 1's operating record. Cheaper per watt, because the shared works already exist.
Completes the plant at 19,354 kWp.
Who we supply
The same electricity reaches three markets with different needs. Direct industrial supply and the community mini-grid come first. The distribution network takes what they do not.
Factories, institutions and businesses within reach of the site that run on diesel today. Firm daytime supply on a monthly invoice, and savings from the first month.
A prepaid, metered mini-grid for the communities around the plant, bringing affordable electricity to households and small businesses that have never had a reliable connection.
A long-term power purchase agreement with the local distribution company for the output the first two channels do not take, adding scale and a bankable contract.
Reliability
A price below diesel only matters if the power arrives. The plant is designed so that supply, metering and maintenance are measured and contracted from the first day of generation, not added later.
The monitoring platform is part of the first block's works, so every string, inverter and meter reports from the day the plant starts generating.
Metering, prepaid vending and reconciliation are specified with the plant, not retrofitted once customers exist, so every kilowatt-hour is measured and billed accurately.
Operation and maintenance under a contract with guaranteed availability and performance ratio, so generation risk sits with the operator and not with the customer.
Industrial shifts run into the evening and households need light at night. Battery storage is being evaluated to carry firm supply past sunset.
Community
A community that benefits from the plant protects it, speeds its consents and prevents land disputes. ENERGHEA treats that as a business principle, written into how the company is set up.
A community mini-grid with prepaid metering and affordable tariffs, with the aim of ending energy poverty in the company's area of operation.
Drawn from the company's revenue and administered with community representation, for health, education, infrastructure and local enterprise.
With every community affected by the company's land use, in line with IFC Performance Standard 7 and Nigerian customary land law.
Employment, energy access, community investment and environmental performance, shared with community leaders, government and investors.
Where the project stands
The grid connection and the environmental assessment are the longest items and sit on the critical path. Both start ahead of financial close.
Contact
If you run a site on diesel within reach of Gbokuli, if you represent a community near it, or if you finance infrastructure in Nigeria, we would like to hear from you.