“I have this much. Can I get a good solar system with it?”
Our calculator answers the question the other way round: appliances in, price out. This is the inverse — you name the money, and the same engine works out the largest system it actually buys, what that system will run, and what it will not. 7 budgets, every figure computed from Nigerian equipment prices last checked October 2026.
4 of these 7 budgets do not buy a solar system
The cheapest complete install our price table can produce — smallest hybrid inverter, cheapest batteries, two panels, mounting, cabling and labour — is ₦1,777,626, with a range across Nigerian suppliers of ₦1.29M – ₦2.71M. Anything below that is not a small solar system; it is part of one. Those pages say so and show which line of the bill the money reaches, because “no, and here is exactly why” is the answer most budget threads never get.
Every budget, side by side
The price before installation shown is the realistic middle of the range, not the wholesale floor.
| Budget | Inverter | Battery | Panels | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₦500k | No complete system — ₦1,277,626 short of the cheapest install | |||
| ₦800k | No complete system — ₦977,626 short of the cheapest install | |||
| ₦1M | No complete system — ₦777,626 short of the cheapest install | |||
| ₦1.5M | No complete system — ₦277,626 short of the cheapest install | |||
| ₦2M | 1.5kVA | 4.8kWh tubular | 2 | ₦1,810,782 |
| ₦3M | 2.5kVA | 9.6kWh tubular | 4 | ₦2,954,826 |
| ₦5M | 6kVA | 19.2kWh tubular | 6 | ₦4,774,356 |
The full answer for each
What can ₦500k of solar get you?
Honestly, not a solar system. The money stops at the tubular battery (lead-acid) line of the cheapest possible bill.
What can ₦800k of solar get you?
Honestly, not a solar system. The money stops at the solar panels line of the cheapest possible bill.
What can ₦1M of solar get you?
Honestly, not a solar system. The money stops at the panel mounting line of the cheapest possible bill.
What can ₦1.5M of solar get you?
Honestly, not a solar system. The money stops at the earthing kit line of the cheapest possible bill.
What can ₦2M of solar get you?
Runs lights, fans, the TV and a fridge running day and night, with about 9 hours of backup after dark.
What can ₦3M of solar get you?
Runs a fridge, a deep freezer, a laptop, fans, lights and a security light, with about 11 hours of backup after dark.
What can ₦5M of solar get you?
Runs a family's whole non-cooling load — fridge, freezer, laundry, ironing, two TVs and CCTV, with about 7 hours of backup after dark.
How a budget is turned into a system
We take a ladder of household loads, from lights and a fan up to three air conditioners, and run every one of them through the same quote engine the calculator uses, at every combination of backup hours, component class and battery chemistry the engine supports. Then we keep the most capable build whose realistic price before installation fits the budget. Nothing is rounded to a marketing number and nothing is written by hand: when the price table changes, these pages change with it — including when a budget that used to work stops working.