CPTA Pushes for Strict Solar Installation Compliance Across Nigeria to Prevent Fire Outbreaks
The Center for Peace, Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) has called for the immediate enforcement of regulatory standards for solar power installations across residential and commercial buildings nationwide, warning that weak oversight is fueling preventable fire disasters.
The Executive Director of the Center, Comrade Patrick Ogheneyero Jr. made the call in a statement issued to journalists on Monday in Abuja, the Federal Capital City of Nigeria.
The call comes in the wake of a devastating fire that recently engulfed Singer Market in Kano State, reportedly destroying over 1,000 shops and several commercial buildings, leaving seven people missing and causing losses running into billions of Naira.
He noted that this tragedy occurred barely two weeks after a similar blaze destroyed dozens of shops in the same market, exposing serious regulatory and safety lapses that continue to put traders, residents, and the wider business community at risk.
According to the Kano State Command of the Federal Fire Service, a solar battery explosion triggered the recent inferno, with Public Relations Officer Al-Hassan Kantin confirming that the earlier fire at the market was linked to a similar incident.
CPTA highlighted that across Nigeria, unregulated and poorly installed solar systems have quietly caused fires in markets and residential areas, many of which go unreported. While the push for decentralized renewable energy is necessary, the organization stressed that electricity generation and distribution—whether from the national grid or solar sources—requires strict adherence to engineering standards, professional competence, and quality assurance protocols.
CPTA warned that the proliferation of untrained installers, substandard panels, batteries, inverters, and accessories has created a ticking time bomb for homes and commercial hubs nationwide.
Furthermore, the Center urged the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to fully implement its mandate under the NEMSA Act 2015 and the Electricity Act 2023nas amended, including compulsory training and certification of solar installers, professional inspection and commissioning of all systems, establishment of port and border inspection desks to screen imported solar equipment, close collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and public awareness campaigns on the dangers of poor solar installations.
“All solar systems must be installed by certified professionals and subjected to rigorous inspection to safeguard lives and property as Nigeria rapidly transitions to off-grid electricity amid recurring power shortages,” Comrade Ogheneyero Jr noted.
Beyond technical compliance, CPTA also called for urgent market safety reforms, such as proper layout planning, functional fire hydrants, and accessible emergency routes in densely populated commercial areas.
While commending the growth of Nigeria’s renewable energy sector, CPTA stressed that safety must remain paramount, warning that the current laxity in oversight is placing hundreds of thousands of Nigerians at risk.
The organization expressed hope that NEMSA’s current leadership would take decisive action to restore public confidence in electrical safety governance and prevent further preventable tragedies. In conclusion, CPTA extended heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Singer Market fire and urged both federal and state authorities to ensure that such disasters do not recur.
Meanwhile, Singer Market, one of Northern Nigeria’s largest commodity hubs, serves not only Kano State but also supplies goods to several other states and neighboring West and Central African countries, magnifying the economic and social impact of such disasters.
