This paper examines Nigeria’s dismal performance in electricity power generation and supply; it conducts a case study review is done of enabling Solar PV policies as a complementary alternative to effectively mitigating the effects of this challenge. Besides envisaging dire socio-economic implications in the event of a total national grid overhaul without alternative back-ups, this paper proffers the harnessing of the nation’s abundant solar energy sources as a leapfrogging strategy. In its analysis and discussion of the reviewed case studies, this paper posits that solar energy has the capacity to boost Nigeria’s electricity power generation and supply towards reducing current high levels of energy poverty. In backing its hypothesis, this paper conducts a case study review of two countries – United States of America and China – that have efficiently exploited their solar energy resources through deliberately conceptualised, designed and implemented policies, and in so doing facilitating a diversified, reliable and sustainable power generation and supply process. The paper concludes with recommendations put together based on inferences drawn from the case study reviews, as well as imputations made from an overarching analysis and discussion of these enabling policies.
Keywords: China, Electricity, Enabling Policies, Renewable Energy Technology (RETs), United States of America (US), deficit, solar PV
