Generator vs Solar: Which Actually Costs Less?

Solar looks expensive until you total up a decade of generator fuel. The honest comparison is not “cost of panels” against “cost of a litre of petrol” — it is the full cost of ownership over the life of the equipment, including the battery replacements that solar quotes almost never mention.

⚖️ Calculator

2.6 years

saved over the period: ₦16,800,000

Generator cost per year ₦2,400,000

Generator total over the period ₦24,000,000

Solar capital including battery replacements ₦6,000,000

Battery replacements in the period 1

Solar total over the period ₦7,200,000

Annual saving after maintenance ₦2,280,000

Payback period 2.6 years

Net saving over the period ₦16,800,000

Solar wins here. It pays for itself in about 2.6 years and saves ₦16,800,000 over 10 years, battery replacements included.

Works without JavaScript — the figures above are a worked example using the default values.

Before you rely on this

Fuel prices are the whole ballgame here. If petrol falls, the payback stretches; if it rises, it shortens. Treat the result as directional.
This model does not discount future cash flows, deliberately. With inputs this uncertain, a net present value calculation would create precision the numbers do not have.

How this is calculated: Calculator logic in assets/js/calc-core.js, verified by the test suite in tests/calc-core.test.js. Rate inputs are prefilled from the figures below. · Data as of 2026-09-10
Prefilled rates are national reference values. Your own receipt, payslip or pump price always overrides them.

Frequently asked questions

Is solar worth it in Nigeria?

If you run a generator more than about four hours a day, almost always yes — payback is typically two to four years against a system life of ten or more. If you only run one occasionally, the capital is hard to justify.

How long does a solar system last?

Panels 25 years, inverters 8 to 12, batteries 3 to 5 for lead-acid and 8 to 12 for lithium. Budget for at least one battery replacement inside a ten-year horizon — the quote you were given almost certainly did not.

What if I only run my generator at weekends?

Then your annual fuel spend is low and solar will struggle to pay back. A smaller system sized only for your actual load, or a hybrid that runs the generator to charge, is usually the better answer.

More calculators

Generator cost What your generator really costs per day, month and year. Electricity bill What your units should cost on your NERC band, with VAT. Solar sizing Panels, battery and inverter sized from your actual appliances. Take-home pay PAYE, pension and NHF under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. Rent affordability What rent you can afford, and the lump sum the advance really costs you. City salary compare What salary you need to move cities without going backwards.