MTN Nigeria is advancing its clean energy transition by deploying large-scale solar power generation and battery energy storage systems across selected mission-critical facilities, a move aimed at improving operational resilience while reducing dependence on diesel-powered electricity.
The development was disclosed by Oluwole Eweje, Chief Executive Officer of an energy infrastructure company partnering with MTN Nigeria on the project.
According to Eweje, the collaboration marks a significant evolution from the company’s nine-year experience of powering the edge of Nigeria’s telecommunications network with hybrid solar energy systems to supporting the operator’s most critical infrastructure.
“For the past nine years, we have powered the edge of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry with hybrid solar energy systems. But our partnership with MTN Nigeria represents something fundamentally different. We are not being asked to power the edge of the network. We are being asked to power its heart,” he said.
He explained that the project involves mission-critical facilities responsible for supporting millions of voice calls, data connections and financial transactions daily, where uninterrupted power supply is essential.
Under the programme, large-scale solar generation and battery energy storage infrastructure are being deployed across selected MTN facilities to complement existing power systems and reduce reliance on diesel generators.
Eweje noted that while the financial economics of renewable energy solutions are comparable to conventional diesel-dependent operations, MTN’s decision to transition was driven primarily by the need to improve resilience and reduce carbon emissions.
According to him, reducing diesel dependence has become more than an environmental objective for operators of critical infrastructure.
“For critical infrastructure, reducing diesel dependence is no longer only an environmental objective. It is a resilience strategy,” he stated.
He added that ensuring reliable power for infrastructure that supports millions of telecommunications users every day is not only an operational requirement but also an economic responsibility.
Eweje expressed confidence that successfully demonstrating the reliability of renewable energy at scale for one of Nigeria’s most critical telecommunications networks would encourage broader adoption across other sectors of the economy.
Beyond telecommunications, he revealed that the partnership is also expected to support Nigeria’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem by laying the foundation for credible clean energy infrastructure to power future mobility solutions.
The initiative reflects the growing role of renewable energy in strengthening business continuity, enhancing energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting Nigeria’s transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
