By Tony Udemba
As Nigeria grapples with an unsteady electricity supply, Top Solar Manufacturing Company Limited, makers of Top Solar products and the latest indigenous entrant in the nation’s burgeoning renewable energy industry has announced its preparedness to provide the needed last-mile relief by embarking on the production of highly sophisticated and premium standard solar energy products and equipment.
Given the innovativeness and ruggedness of its products and the seriousness behind its foray into the Nigerian market—unarguably the biggest renewable energy market in Africa—the sector is primed to witness a clear disruption and great turnaround to the benefit of hapless electricity consumers who, for a long time, have been yearning for steady electricity supply across the country.
Speaking to Daily Sun at his office in the Lekki area of Lagos recently, Executive Chairman of Top Solar Manufacturing Company Limited, Chief Leo Okafor, stated that the company has fully completed the installation of its world-class manufacturing plant and is ready for business. According to him, “We have fully completed the installation of our ultramodern manufacturing plant satisfactorily and have therefore thrown open our doors for business.”
Continuing, he said, “Though we are relatively new in the manufacturing of solar energy-powered products, be assured that all our diverse solar energy-powered products are uniquely designed, highly sophisticated, and are of international standards. Our focus is to end fossil-powered generators, save electricity consumers from the epileptic national grid, and replace it with affordable, premium-quality solar-powered products.”
Okafor stated that the energy crisis in Nigeria has become a source of great concern to well-meaning Nigerians, noting, “While South Africa, a country several times smaller in population than Nigeria, produces about 65,000 megawatts, Nigeria still struggles to produce about 4,000 megawatts. What a pathetic situation!”
He stated that the company produces high-quality solar energy-powered electricity generators, including various sizes of solar panels, solar-powered fans, solar street lights, and related products.
In his words, “Our major purpose in embarking on the production of high-quality solar energy-powered generators, solar-powered street lights, solar panels, and various types of solar energy-powered products is to end the nation’s over-dependency on fossil fuels, which is becoming very expensive, as well as the incessant collapse of the national grid, among other challenges causing unstable power supply across the nation.”
Speaking on the technology behind solar energy, Okafor stated, “Basically, solar panels produce electricity by converting sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. The battery stores the electricity and converts DC to alternating current (AC) to power everything from lights, refrigerators, and televisions to computers, food processing equipment, and light machinery, and numerous other equipment used in our homes and businesses.”
He stated that all solar products manufactured by the company are of the highest standards and are also backed with full warranties in line with global practices.
He noted that the products are designed as alternatives that offer clean energy, do not pollute the environment, and are globally accepted to provide the last-mile relief to hapless energy consumers in Nigeria.
On the nefarious activities of some Chinese and Asian importers who have continued to flood the markets with substandard and fake solar energy and other renewable products in recent times, Okafor called on the government to rise to the occasion and stop the ugly trend. According to him, “It’s unfortunate that many Chinese and Asian importers, together with their Nigerian collaborators, have continued to flood the Nigerian markets with substandard solar energy products, which are harmful to consumers and the environment. The government must urgently arrest this situation and prosecute those behind it. It is pertinent to note that those behind this dumping of substandard and environmentally harmful solar products here cannot do the same in their own country.”
While providing insight on the range of products manufactured by the company, he stated that the products included solar generators backed with lithium batteries (ranging from 1,000 watts, 1,200 watts, 5,000 watts, 10,000 watts, and above).
“We also have various sizes of solar panels and solar street lights, energy-saving bulbs, and others. The solar generators can power appliances directly or charge at zero-maintenance lithium batteries, which reduces households’ energy costs and provides them with uninterrupted power supply, even as the battery is designed to last long.”