What can a 3.5 kVA solar system power, and what does it cost? Lights, fans, TV, laptops, a fridge and a freezer all day; a 1 HP inverter AC for a few daytime hours when the array is producing. Overnight: everything except the AC. Installed price observed on 16 September 2026: ₦1.6m–₦2.8m; itemised hardware for the specification below comes to ₦2.17m–₦3.57m before installer margin.
Specification
What it runs, and what it does not
Runs: Lights, fans, TV, laptops, a fridge and a freezer all day; a 1 HP inverter AC for a few daytime hours when the array is producing. Overnight: everything except the AC.
Does not: An AC through the night (the 5 kWh battery empties in three hours at 1 kW plus the base load); a second AC; a pumping machine at the same time as the AC; electric cooking, kettles or irons alongside other loads.
The distinction is between energy (kWh per day, set by panels and battery) and power (W at one moment, set by the inverter and the battery's discharge current). A 3.5 kVA inverter can pass 2800 W continuously; whether the battery can supply it for six hours is a separate question answered below.
Load profile used on this page
| Appliance | W | h/day | Duty | kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED lights (10) | 100 | 6 | 100% | 0.60 |
| Ceiling fans (4) | 280 | 10 | 100% | 2.80 |
| LED TV + decoder | 105 | 6 | 100% | 0.63 |
| Fridge (inverter type) | 120 | 24 | 40% | 1.15 |
| Chest freezer | 150 | 24 | 40% | 1.44 |
| Laptops, phones, router | 120 | 8 | 100% | 0.96 |
| 1 HP inverter AC, daytime only | 800 | 4 | 70% | 2.24 |
Panels by city
The array is sized so the worst month still covers 8 kWh/day after charging losses (η 0.87). In good months it over-produces, which is normal: the surplus runs daytime loads directly and is what makes evening AC possible.
| City | Worst month | PV needed | Panels | Roof | Avg daily output |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos | 3.15 kWh/kWp | 2.9 kWp | 6 | ≈ 18 m² | 12.0 kWh |
| Port Harcourt | 2.88 kWh/kWp | 3.2 kWp | 6 | ≈ 18 m² | 11.3 kWh |
| Ibadan | 2.83 kWh/kWp | 3.2 kWp | 6 | ≈ 18 m² | 12.0 kWh |
| Enugu | 3.20 kWh/kWp | 2.9 kWp | 6 | ≈ 18 m² | 12.5 kWh |
| Abuja | 3.15 kWh/kWp | 2.9 kWp | 6 | ≈ 18 m² | 13.6 kWh |
| Kaduna | 3.45 kWh/kWp | 2.7 kWp | 5 | ≈ 15 m² | 12.2 kWh |
| Kano | 4.00 kWh/kWp | 2.3 kWp | 5 | ≈ 15 m² | 12.8 kWh |
Check the inverter's maximum PV input before adding panels: a budget 3.5 kVA unit may cap at 3,000–4,000 W. See MPPT limits.
Battery
Overnight energy in the profile above is about 3.5 kWh. Nominal LiFePO₄ needed: 3.5 ÷ 0.9 ÷ 0.92 ≈ 4.2 kWh → 24 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ (≈5 kWh). In tubular terms that is 7.8 kWh nominal, or 4 × 12 V 200 Ah batteries, which is why lithium is the practical choice at this size.
Ah_48V = 4.2 × 1000 ÷ 48 = 88 Ah
With two 200 Ah tubular batteries instead of lithium, the hardware falls by roughly ₦500,000–1,000,000 but usable storage halves (2.4 kWh) and the bank needs replacing in 3–5 years. Chemistry, DoD and cycle-life detail: solar batteries; runtime at your own load: calculator.
Cost, itemised
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Inverter, 3.5 kVA 24 V hybrid | ₦260,000 | ₦480,000 |
| Panels, 6 × 550 W | ₦690,000 | ₦990,000 |
| Battery, 24 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ (5 kWh) | ₦995,000 | ₦1,600,000 |
| Mounting, cable, breakers, SPD, earthing | ₦120,000 | ₦280,000 |
| Installation labour | ₦100,000 | ₦220,000 |
| Total | ₦2,165,000 | ₦3,570,000 |
A quotation should itemise exactly like this, with model numbers. If it does not, you cannot tell a ₦1.6m system from a ₦2.8m one. What the labour line buys is on the installation page; whether it pays back against your generator is on solar vs generator.
ZEUS does not sell or install equipment and has no commercial relationship with any brand or retailer named on this page.
Who it fits
One- or two-bedroom flats, a home office, a small shop or salon, or a first system for a bigger house that will later add a 48 V unit.
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.
FAQ
How many panels does a 3.5 kVA solar system need?
For 8 kWh/day: 6 × 550 W in Lagos, 6 in Abuja, 5 in Kano, sized on the worst month. Packages that quote fewer are sized on annual averages or on the north.
How many batteries for a 3.5 kVA inverter?
The 24 V bus needs 2 × 12 V batteries in series or a 24 V lithium pack as a minimum. For the overnight load here you need about 4 kWh nominal of LiFePO₄ (24 V 200 Ah LiFePO₄ (≈5 kWh)).
Can a 3.5 kVA solar system run an air conditioner?
Only a 1 HP inverter AC, only while the sun is up; the 5 kWh battery cannot carry it through the night with the fridge and freezer.
How long does a 3.5 kVA system last?
Panels 25+ years; inverter 8–12 years; LiFePO₄ battery 8–15 years at one cycle a day (tubular 3–5). Budget for one battery replacement and one inverter replacement over the panels' life.
Sources
- SolarDecide — 5kVA system cost breakdown, Lagos/Abuja dealers (Apr 2026) — solardecide.com/blog/5kva-solar-system-cost-nigeria-2026
- 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
- 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
- BusinessDay — What it costs to install solar in Nigeria today — businessday.ng/energy/article/what-it-costs-to-install-solar-in-nigeria-today
- Global Solar Atlas 2.0 — Solargis, World Bank / ESMAP; PVOUT monthly layer, data v2.2.68 (Apr 2026) — globalsolaratlas.info