Yemisi Izuora
First WATT Renewable Limited has been engaged to deploy 34 MWp of solar photovoltaic capacity and 40 MWh of battery storage across several of MTN’s critical facilities in Nigeria.
The MTN Nigeria and First WATT Renewable Limited agreed to partner to transition part of the Telcom firm’s power supply to renewable energy.
The move reflects an ongoing energy transition in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector as demand from digital infrastructure grows and operators seek to secure reliable power through renewable energy sources.
The program also includes renewable energy systems to power electric vehicle charging stations at selected operator sites.
The partners did not disclose the value of the investment or the implementation timeline.
According to the announcement, the program is expected to reduce MTN’s dependence on diesel, improve operational resilience, and strengthen the energy infrastructure supporting connectivity and sustainable mobility in Nigeria.
The project forms part of a broader strategy already underway at WATT Renewable. In 2024, the company secured $15 million in financing from the AFRIGREEN fund to develop hybrid solar solutions for sectors including telecommunications and financial services in Nigeria.
These technologies enable companies to reduce their reliance on diesel, which is widely used to compensate for weaknesses in the national power grid.
Beyond fuel savings, access to reliable electricity remains a major challenge for digital infrastructure operations.
Solar systems combined with battery storage are increasingly being deployed to power telecommunications towers, including in areas far from major urban centers, helping to strengthen the resilience of digital infrastructure.