A Nigerian man has expressed his frustration with the solar panel permit policy implemented for certain residents in Lagos State, following a viral video that brought the issue to public attention.
Background of the Viral Video
The man, known on X as @kwenguy, reacted to a trending video showing a Lagos tenant complaining about being charged a fee to install solar panels in his apartment. The Lagos State Government subsequently clarified that the permit fee applies only to residents living in government-owned social housing estates.
Government Clarification
Wale Ajetunmobi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, issued a statement explaining the policy. According to the government, the solar installation permit fee is limited to individuals in social housing estates because the state is responsible for maintaining facilities in those areas. The government noted that an existing public electricity supply system is already installed in these estates, and installing additional power systems is considered an alteration to the original design and functionality of the building.
Any alteration must go through the Physical Planning and Survey departments of the Ministry of Housing for approval, material compliance, and post-inspection checks. Since solar power systems are often installed by occupants in shared areas, approval from the facility manager (the government) is required before proceeding. The man in the viral video had not applied for such approval, and the uniformed individuals seen in the video were from the Monitoring and Compliance Unit of the Ministry.
Man's Reaction and Questions
Reacting to the clarification, @kwenguy questioned the government's demand for a solar panel fee, arguing that providing stable electricity is the government's duty. He stated that since the government has failed to ensure adequate power supply, it has no right to charge for permission to install solar panels. He posed several questions: Did the state, with its huge resources, provide power and the tenant opted out? Is electricity a luxury? Should the tenant stay in darkness? He concluded that the policy's reasoning is flawed.
In a related development, another Nigerian man who purchased a 6kVA solar inverter with a 16kWh battery and multiple panels went viral online. He explained that he experiences poor electricity in his neighborhood and decided to solve his problem by investing in solar energy. He shared a video of the installation and the total cost of the system.
