How much is a solar battery in Nigeria? On 16 September 2026: 12 V 200 Ah tubular ₦250,000–₦420,000; 24 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ ₦600,000–₦900,000; 48 V 100 Ah (5 kWh) LiFePO₄ ₦995,000–₦1,800,000; 48 V 200 Ah (10 kWh) ₦2,100,000–₦3,500,000. Per usable kWh over the battery's life, lithium costs about a third of tubular.
Prices by type and size
Ranges span Lagos cash prices for distributor brands to branded packs with a local warranty desk. Larger lithium packs are cheaper per kWh; tubular prices move with lead and the naira.
| Type | Usable energy | Low | High | Expected life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tubular / flooded lead-acid12 V 200–220 Ah (≈2.4–2.6 kWh nominal) | ≈1.2 kWh at 50% DoD | ₦250,000 | ₦420,000 | 3–5 years, 800–1,500 cycles |
| Gel / AGM12 V 200 Ah (≈2.4 kWh nominal) | ≈1.2 kWh at 50% DoD | ₦300,000 | ₦480,000 | 3–5 years |
| Lithium LiFePO₄24 V 100 Ah (≈2.5 kWh) | ≈2.0–2.25 kWh at 80–90% DoD | ₦600,000 | ₦900,000 | 8–10+ years, 3,000–6,000 cycles (manufacturer claims) |
| Lithium LiFePO₄48 V 100 Ah (≈5 kWh) | ≈4.0–4.5 kWh | ₦995,000 | ₦1,800,000 | as above |
| Lithium LiFePO₄48 V 200 Ah (≈10 kWh) | ≈8–9 kWh | ₦2,100,000 | ₦3,500,000 | as above |
| Lithium LiFePO₄48 V 300 Ah (≈15 kWh) | ≈12–13.5 kWh | ₦3,200,000 | ₦5,200,000 | as above |
Nominal vs usable capacity
A battery label gives amp-hours at a voltage. Multiply them for nominal watt-hours: 12 V × 200 Ah = 2,400 Wh = 2.4 kWh. You cannot use all of it. Lead-acid batteries age fast below 50% state of charge, so installers set the inverter to stop at 50% depth of discharge (DoD): 1.2 kWh usable. LiFePO₄ tolerates 80–90% DoD by design, so a "5 kWh" 48 V 100 Ah pack gives 4–4.5 kWh, and its own battery-management system (BMS) enforces the floor.
E_nominal_kWh = V × Ah ÷ 1000
// what you can use per cycle
E_usable_kWh = E_nominal × DoD DoD: tubular 0.5 · gel/AGM 0.5 · LiFePO₄ 0.8–0.9
// what reaches the appliances
E_delivered = E_usable × η_inverter η ≈ 0.90–0.94
| Battery | Nominal | DoD | Usable | Delivered (η 0.92) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 12 V 200 Ah tubular | 2.4 | 50% | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| 4 × 12 V 200 Ah tubular (48 V bank) | 9.6 | 50% | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| 24 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ | 2.56 | 90% | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| 48 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ ("5 kWh") | 5.12 | 90% | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| 48 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ ("10 kWh") | 10.24 | 90% | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| 2 × 48 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ (parallel) | 20.5 | 90% | 18.4 | 17 |
This is why a "5 kVA with four 200 Ah batteries" package, which sounds like 9.6 kWh, carries a home for about 4.4 kWh of evening use, roughly a fridge, fans, lights and a TV until morning, but not an air conditioner.
Cost per usable kWh, and per cycle
Divide price by usable energy to compare batteries fairly; divide again by rated cycles to compare lifetime cost.
| Battery | Usable kWh | Price | ₦ per usable kWh | Rated cycles | ₦ per kWh delivered over life |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tubular 12 V 200 Ah | 1.2 | ₦250k–₦420k | 208.333–350.000 | 1.200 | 174–292 |
| LiFePO₄ 24 V 100 Ah | 2.3 | ₦600k–₦900k | 260.870–391.304 | 4.000 | 65–98 |
| LiFePO₄ 48 V 100 Ah | 4.6 | ₦995k–₦1.8m | 216.304–391.304 | 4.000 | 54–98 |
| LiFePO₄ 48 V 200 Ah | 9.2 | ₦2.1m–₦3.5m | 228.261–380.435 | 4.000 | 57–95 |
A tubular bank is the cheaper way to get a small amount of backup for a short time. Lithium is the cheaper way to store energy you will cycle every night for a decade, which is what a solar home system does.
Tubular vs gel vs LiFePO₄
| Property | Tubular (flooded lead-acid) | Gel / AGM (sealed lead-acid) | LiFePO₄ (lithium iron phosphate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usable DoD | 50% | 50% | 80–90% |
| Cycle life | 800–1,500 | 600–1,200 | 3,000–6,000 (claimed) |
| Round-trip efficiency | 75–85% | 80–85% | 92–96% |
| Charge time from solar | Slow; absorption stage needs hours | Slow | Fast; takes full MPPT current |
| Maintenance | Top up distilled water monthly; ventilated room | None; sealed | None; BMS-managed |
| Heat tolerance | Poor; life halves per +10 °C over 25 °C | Poor | Good to ~45 °C; BMS cuts off beyond |
| Weight per usable kWh | ≈ 50 kg | ≈ 55 kg | ≈ 10 kg |
| Inverter compatibility | Any | Any | Needs lithium profile or BMS communication (CAN/RS485) |
| Failure mode | Gradual loss, sulphation | Gradual loss | BMS lockout; cell imbalance in cheap packs |
| Fits | Low budget, occasional backup | Sealed rooms | Daily solar cycling; anything with an AC |
Lithium-ion is a family; the one you want for a home is LiFePO₄ (lithium iron phosphate). It is thermally stable, does not contain cobalt and is what every reputable 48 V rack or wall battery uses. NMC packs (laptop-style chemistry) appear in some cheap powerbanks and portable stations; they have higher energy density and worse thermal behaviour.
How big a battery do you need?
Add up the energy you need between sunset and sunrise (or through an outage), divide by DoD and inverter efficiency. A home using 900 W average for 10 hours overnight needs 9 kWh delivered → 9 ÷ 0.9 ÷ 0.92 ≈ 10.9 kWh nominal LiFePO₄, or 9 ÷ 0.5 ÷ 0.90 ≈ 20 kWh of tubular (eight 200 Ah batteries).
E_nominal = E_night ÷ DoD ÷ η_inverter
Ah_at_bank_voltage = E_nominal × 1000 ÷ V_bank
// example: 9 kWh overnight, 48 V LiFePO₄
E_nominal = 9 ÷ 0.9 ÷ 0.92 = 10.9 kWh → 10.9 × 1000 ÷ 48 = 227 Ah → one 48 V 200 Ah pack is marginal; 48 V 250–300 Ah or two 100 Ah packs in parallel is right
| Overnight load | Average W | kWh delivered | LiFePO₄ nominal (90% DoD) | Tubular nominal (50% DoD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights, fans, TV, router, phones | 250 | 2.5 | 3 kWh (24 V 100 Ah + margin) | 5.6 kWh (2–3 × 200 Ah) |
| + fridge and freezer | 400 | 4 | 4.8 kWh (48 V 100 Ah) | 8.9 kWh (4 × 200 Ah) |
| + one 1 HP inverter AC, 6 h | 850 | 8.5 | 10.3 kWh (48 V 200 Ah) | 19 kWh (8 × 200 Ah) |
| + two ACs | 1,500 | 15 | 18 kWh (48 V 300–400 Ah) | 33 kWh (14 × 200 Ah; impractical) |
Autonomy is the other question: how many cloudy days should the bank carry without solar? For a hybrid system with the grid or a generator as fallback, one night is the norm. For true off-grid, size for 1.5–2 nights and accept a bigger array to recharge it.
How long will a battery last at a given load?
// 12 V 200 Ah tubular, 300 W load
2.4 × 0.5 × 0.9 ÷ 0.3 = 3.6 h
// 48 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄, 800 W load (fridge + fans + 1 HP AC cycling)
10.24 × 0.9 × 0.92 ÷ 0.8 = 10.6 h
| Battery | 200 W | 500 W | 1,000 W | 2,000 W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 12 V 200 Ah tubular | 5.5 | 2.2 | 1.1 | <1 |
| 4 × 200 Ah tubular (48 V) | 22.1 | 8.8 | 4.4 | 2.2 |
| 24 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ | 10.6 | 4.2 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| 48 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ | 21.2 | 8.5 | 4.2 | 2.1 |
| 48 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ | 42.4 | 17.0 | 8.5 | 4.2 |
| 48 V 300 Ah LiFePO₄ | 63.6 | 25.4 | 12.7 | 6.4 |
Enter your own battery and load in the battery runtime calculator.
Matching the battery to the inverter
The inverter's DC bus voltage fixes the bank: 12 V inverters (≤1.5 kVA) take one 12 V battery or several in parallel; 24 V inverters (2–3.5 kVA) take two 12 V batteries in series or a 24 V lithium pack; 48 V inverters (5 kVA and up) take four 12 V batteries in series or a 48 V pack. Mixing old and new batteries in one string, or different capacities, drags the string to the weakest cell.
For lithium, the inverter must either have a "user-defined" or "lithium" charge profile with the correct absorption and float voltages (typically 56–57.6 V absorb and 54 V float for a 16-cell 48 V pack) or, better, talk to the BMS over CAN or RS485 so it stops charging when the cells say so. Most 5 kVA hybrid inverters from Deye, Growatt, Luxpower, Felicity and PowMr support this; older off-grid units may not. Check the compatible-battery list before buying either component. See inverter battery settings.
Lifetime, warranty and safety
Manufacturers rate LiFePO₄ at 3,000–6,000 cycles to 80% remaining capacity; at one cycle a day that is 8–16 years, longer than most warranties (5–10 years, often pro-rated). In practice packs are limited by the BMS, cell matching and heat: a bank in an unventilated Lagos store room at 40 °C ages faster than one on a shaded wall. Tubular batteries last 3–5 years in Nigerian conditions if watered and not deeply discharged; two years if abused.
Warranty terms to read: cycles or years, whichever first; the DoD and temperature assumed; whether replacement is full or pro-rated; and who ships the replacement. A warranty from a manufacturer with no Nigerian distributor is a courier bill.
Solar arrays produce lethal DC voltages in daylight and cannot be switched off at the panel. Battery banks can deliver thousands of amps into a short circuit. Installation, wiring, earthing and commissioning must be done by a qualified installer or licensed electrician to the manufacturer's instructions and the Nigerian Electrical Installation Standards (IEC 60364-based). ZEUS explains how systems work so you can specify and check them, not so you can wire them yourself.
Keep lead-acid banks ventilated (hydrogen), off the floor, and away from sparks. Keep lithium packs dry, fused at the terminal, and never open a pack or bypass a BMS. Use the cable size and DC breaker the manufacturer specifies; a 48 V 200 Ah pack can deliver hundreds of amps into a short.
Buying checklist
- Size from your night load, not from the package. Use the formula above or the calculator.
- Compare per usable kWh (price ÷ Ah ÷ V ÷ DoD).
- For lithium, confirm LiFePO₄ chemistry, the BMS current rating (≥ the inverter's max charge and discharge current) and the communication protocol your inverter supports.
- Check the cycle rating's DoD and temperature in the datasheet, not the advert.
- Ask who honours the warranty in Nigeria.
- Buy matched batteries for series strings: same model, same age.
- Plan the location: cool, dry, ventilated, within a few metres of the inverter to keep cable losses and cost down.
FAQ
How much is a 200Ah battery in Nigeria?
A 12 V 200–220 Ah tubular battery is ₦250,000–₦420,000 (16 September 2026). It stores 2.4 kWh nominal but only 1.2 kWh usable at the 50% depth of discharge that protects its life.
How much is a 5kWh lithium battery in Nigeria?
₦995,000–₦1,800,000 for a 48 V 100 Ah LiFePO₄ pack, giving about 4–4.5 kWh usable. Brand, BMS quality, warranty and whether the seller is the manufacturer's distributor explain the spread.
Which is better, lithium or tubular battery for solar?
For a system that cycles every night, LiFePO₄: about a third of the lifetime cost per delivered kWh, faster charging from solar, no maintenance and a tenth of the weight. Tubular still makes sense for a small, rarely used backup on a tight budget.
How long will a 200Ah battery last on an inverter?
A 12 V 200 Ah tubular at 50% DoD delivers about 1.1 kWh: roughly 5 hours at 200 W (lights, fans, TV), 2 hours at 500 W, and it cannot run an air conditioner. A 48 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ pack delivers about 8.5 kWh: 10 hours at 800 W.
How many batteries do I need for a 5kVA inverter?
A 48 V inverter needs four 12 V batteries in series (or one 48 V lithium pack) as a minimum; that is the voltage requirement, not the energy requirement. How many kWh you need is set by your overnight load: see sizing.
Can I add a lithium battery to my tubular bank?
Not in the same bank. Different chemistries need different charge voltages and the lithium BMS would take or refuse current unpredictably. Replace the bank, or run lithium on a second inverter.
Sources
- Solar Energy Supply Stores — panel, battery and inverter price lists (25 Aug 2026) — solarenergysupplystores.com/solar-panel-price-in-nigeria
- Rayspark — lithium battery price guide (2026) — www.rayspark.com.ng/guide/lithium-battery-for-solar-price-in-nigeria
- Mercury Direct — 5kVA inverter guide, prices and batteries (2026) — mercurydirect.com.ng/5kva-inverter-guide-nigeria
- Kara.com.ng — 2026 solar price list (retailer blog) — blog.kara.com.ng/2026-solar-price-list-how-much-does-a-5kva-system-cost-in-nigeria-today
- Avepower — Best solar batteries in Nigeria (cycle-life and warranty claims for Felicity, Blue Carbon), 2026 — avebattery.com/blog/best-solar-battery-in-nigeria
- Manufacturer datasheets for 48 V LiFePO₄ rack batteries (DoD, cycle life at 25 °C, BMS current, CAN/RS485 protocols) and for tubular 200 Ah batteries (cycle life vs DoD curves)