Skip to content
betapawa

Solar vs generator: the real monthly cost in 2026

Engr. Tunde Adeyemi, Head of Engineering, Crestgreen Energy

B.Eng Electrical (UNILAG), COREN-registered, NABCEP PV Associate

Updated · 5 min read

The short answer

A household spending ₦25,000 a week on petrol pays about ₦123,000 a month once maintenance is included. A 3.5kVA lithium solar system on Pay Small Small costs less than that per month, so most homes save from month one and own the system outright after 24 months.

What your generator really costs

Fuel is only part of it. Add servicing, plug changes, oil and the occasional rewind, and most families spend ₦10,000–₦20,000 a month on maintenance on top of fuel.

What solar costs

Solar is mostly upfront. Once installed, running costs are close to zero: a yearly panel clean and a check-up. With Pay Small Small you spread the upfront cost over 3 to 24 months.

Payback time

Divide the system price by your monthly saving. For most homes we install, that's 14–30 months. Lithium batteries last 10 years, panels 25.

Work out your own savings

Generator fuel
How do you know your usage?

Your savings

Monthly saving
₦104,763
Pays for itself in
29 months
Saved over 5 years, after paying for the system
₦3,278,750

Assumes solar replaces 85% of generator use. Fuel cost ₦25,000 a week × 4.33 weeks + maintenance.

See the Home Comfort 3.5kVA package

Packages mentioned in this guide

  • 3.5kVA

    2–3 bedroom flats

    Home Comfort 3.5kVA

    Freezer, pumping machine and the whole flat

    3.5kVA5.12kWh2.2kWp~10h backup
    ₦3,007,000

    or ₦131,078/month

    Installed price, inc. hardware and installation

  • 5kVA

    3–4 bedroom homes

    Family 5kVA

    One 1.5HP AC by day, the whole house by night

    5kVA5.12kWh3.3kWp~10h backup
    ₦3,631,000

    or ₦158,279/month

    Installed price, inc. hardware and installation

  • 2.5kVA

    1–2 bedroom flats

    Home Essential 2.5kVA

    Fridge, fans, TV and lights

    2.5kVA2.56kWh1.1kWp~8h backup
    ₦1,724,000

    or ₦75,151/month

    Installed price, inc. hardware and installation

Products in this guide

Frequently asked questions

Will solar fully replace my generator?

For most homes, solar replaces 80–90% of generator use. Keep the generator for long cloudy spells or heavy loads like a welding machine.

Does solar work in the rainy season?

Yes, at lower output. We size panels for the rainy-season sun hours in your region.

Related guides