For a Nigerian small business with daytime load 8 to 12 kWh and a need for evening operation, a 5 kW hybrid system is the right size. We have shipped dozens of these over the last two years.
The bill of materials: one 5 kW single-phase hybrid inverter, 10 to 15 kWh of LiFePO4 battery (we like 48 V for expandability), 10 to 12 panels of 450 to 550 W (around 5 to 6 kW of array, slightly oversized to cover battery charging on cloudy days), a smart distribution box with surge protection, mounting hardware for the roof, and basic cabling.
Rough cost: in 2026, around $3,500 to $5,500 for the equipment, depending on battery brand and panel choice. Add installation, which in Nigeria runs $800 to $1,500 for a straightforward rooftop install. So a working system lands at roughly $4,500 to $7,000 all-in, before any genset backup.
What to watch. First, the inverter should be NRS or IEC certified for Nigerian grid conditions. Second, the battery BMS should have active balancing and low-temp charge protection (rare in Nigeria, but some buyers ship to cooler regions). Third, the panels should be from a Tier 1 manufacturer with a 25-year linear power warranty. The savings on cheap panels are not worth it.
The payoff is fast for a business that was burning 10 to 15 litres of diesel a day. At current Nigerian diesel prices, that is a 2 to 3 year payback, and the system runs for 10+ years after that.