Solar Installation Cost in Nigeria (October 2026): Labour, Materials and What a Quote Must Show
Solar installation labour in Nigeria typically costs ₦30,000–₦70,000 per kVA, with a minimum of about ₦150k. For a 5kVA that is ₦150k – ₦350k, on top of ₦781k – ₦1.61M of protection and mounting materials.
Labour, by system size
Installers price labour per kVA of inverter, with a floor for small jobs. These are the typical ranges for three common systems, from the same reference figures our quote engine shows beside every total.
| Item | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour per kVA | ₦30,000 | ₦45,000 | ₦70,000 |
| Labour, 3.5kVA system | ₦120,000 | ₦157,500 | ₦245,000 |
| Labour, 5kVA system | ₦150,000 | ₦225,000 | ₦350,000 |
| Labour, 10kVA system | ₦300,000 | ₦450,000 | ₦700,000 |
Reference range only — installers set their own price. On small systems the per-kVA rate gives way to a minimum of about ₦150k, because a small job still takes a crew a day. Distance, roof access and a ground mount all push it up.
The materials an installation needs
Labour is the smaller half. The protection and mounting gear — what our quotes call balance of system — is where cheap installs cut corners, and where the safety of a lithium bank actually lives. Unit prices:
| Item | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel mounting (rails, clamps, L-feet) — per panel | ₦25,000 | ₦35,000 | ₦45,000 |
| 6mm² DC solar cable — per metre | ₦4,500 | ₦5,000 | ₦6,500 |
| MC4 connector — per pair | ₦2,000 | ₦3,000 | ₦4,000 |
| PV combiner box, DC breaker and DC surge protector | ₦50,000 | ₦70,000 | ₦120,000 |
| Battery breaker, fuse and cable (up to 5kVA) | ₦70,000 | ₦110,000 | ₦200,000 |
| Battery breaker, fuse and cable (above 5kVA) | ₦120,000 | ₦175,000 | ₦300,000 |
| AC breakers, distribution board, AC surge protector | ₦70,000 | ₦100,000 | ₦150,000 |
| Changeover switch, 63A (up to 5kVA) | ₦10,000 | ₦35,000 | ₦60,000 |
| Changeover switch, 100A (above 5kVA) | ₦15,000 | ₦65,000 | ₦120,000 |
| Earth rod, clamp and earth cable | ₦45,000 | ₦75,000 | ₦110,000 |
| Battery rack or cabinet (above two modules) | ₦60,000 | ₦100,000 | ₦180,000 |
| Fire extinguisher beside the battery bank | ₦25,000 | ₦55,000 | ₦70,000 |
| Trunking, conduit, glands, lugs — per kVA | ₦10,000 | ₦14,000 | ₦22,000 |
Market prices, checked October 2026, before our 5% sourcing fee. Quantities depend on the system; the quote engine works them out from panel count, string count and inverter size.
Added up for our typical 5kVA build, these come to ₦781k – ₦1.61M, about 24% of the equipment cost. The old rule of thumb was 8%–18%; priced item by item, a proper install sits above that range. A quote with one “accessories” line well below this is leaving something out.
Contingency
Our quotes carry a contingency line of 5%–12% on equipment and materials (₦221k – ₦909k on the 5kVA build). It covers what a site survey finds and price movement since our last check. An installer who quotes without seeing the site and without any allowance will usually come back for it later.
What a quote must itemise
- Inverter — brand, model number, kVA, and whether it is hybrid.
- Battery — brand, chemistry, voltage, kWh and number of units.
- Panels — brand, wattage, number of panels.
- Mounting and DC cable — with cable size and length.
- Protection — PV isolator and surge protector, battery breaker and fuse, AC breakers and surge protector.
- Changeover and earthing — the two lines most often missing.
- Labour and commissioning — as its own line, with what commissioning includes.
- Warranty and payment terms — who honours which warranty, and when each payment is due.
A quote that is one number is not a quote. Ask for the list; how the installer responds tells you a lot. Then put it beside an itemised build from the calculator and check the installer against the three checks before money moves.
Questions people ask
How much do installers charge per kVA in Nigeria?
Typically ₦45,000 per kVA, in a range of ₦30,000–₦70,000, with a minimum of about ₦150k for a small job. That is a reference range from the market, not a price we set: we do not employ installers.
Is installation included in solar package prices?
Sometimes, and it is the first thing to check. Our quotes never include it; we show the typical labour range beside the total so it is not a surprise. A package that says "installed" should list labour as its own line.
What does a proper installation include?
Mounting, DC cable and connectors, a PV isolator with surge protection, a battery breaker and fuse, AC breakers and surge protection, a changeover, earthing, and a fire extinguisher beside a lithium bank. Then commissioning: settings for your battery, a test under load, and the monitoring app set up.
Why does my quote have a contingency line?
Because a site survey almost always finds something — a longer cable run, a tired distribution board, an extra rail — and prices move between quote and purchase. We add 5%–12% of equipment and materials for it.
Related pages
Got a quote from an installer?
Send it to us. We will go through it line by line against these prices and tell you what is missing.