Power at a Peril By Afolabi Ademosu

Across Nigeria, from cramped one-bedroom flats in Lagos to busy shops in Onitsha and Ibadan, a quiet revolution is powering daily life. Solar panels sit on rooftops. Inverters hum in corners. Lithium batteries rest under staircases and behind shop counters. In a country where grid electricity is unreliable and increasingly expensive, these systems are no longer luxuries. They are survival tools.

They promise freedom from darkness, from generator noise, from diesel fumes. Yet beneath that promise lies a growing and largely unspoken danger. Many of the systems powering homes and businesses today are substandard, poorly installed, or dangerously sited. Families are sleeping a few metres away from concentrated energy systems that can ignite without warning.

This is no longer speculation. It is becoming a national safety concern.

In Surulere not long ago, a family narrowly escaped tragedy when their inverter battery exploded shortly after midnight. Thick smoke filled the apartment within minutes. They survived because a neighbour heard the blast and forced entry. Fire responders quietly confirm that similar incidents are increasing. In many cases the final report simply reads electrical fire. By the time firefighters arrive, cables are molten, battery casings are destroyed, and forensic clarity is lost.

The market tells the deeper story. In major electronics hubs, batteries and inverters carrying global brand names are sold at prices far below expected value. Customers are reassured with phrases like factory version or surplus stock. What is often missing is the critical safety architecture inside these systems. A proper Battery Management System regulates temperature, voltage, and charging cycles. Without it, lithium batteries operate without a reliable internal guardian.

Nigeria’s climate makes this more serious. Most lithium systems are designed around moderate temperatures. Yet indoor spaces in our environment can exceed forty-five degrees Celsius, especially in poorly ventilated rooms. When heat builds up inside a battery pack, internal chemical reactions accelerate. If not controlled, the process can become self-sustaining. Engineers call this thermal runaway. In simple terms, heat produces more heat, until the system can no longer contain it.

When lithium batteries burn, they do not behave like ordinary fires. They can release toxic gases including hydrogen fluoride. Flames may appear to be extinguished, only for the battery to reignite later. Even traditional lead acid batteries can release hydrogen gas during charging. In confined spaces, one spark is enough.

The world is beginning to formally recognise this shift. In 2026, the International Organization for Standardization updated ISO 3941 and introduced a new category known as Class L. This class specifically addresses lithium-ion battery fires. It acknowledges that these incidents are different from ordinary solid, liquid, or metal fires. They are electrochemical events that require sustained cooling, careful isolation, and ongoing monitoring because of the risk of re-ignition.

For safety professionals, this update is important. For households, it is a reminder that battery systems are not just electrical accessories. They are energy storage units capable of intense heat release under failure conditions.

Fire services are also adapting. Rooftop solar panels continue to generate electricity when exposed to sunlight, even during a fire. Cutting power is no longer as simple as switching off a main breaker. Responders increasingly encounter live direct current in burning structures. Without specialised training and equipment, the risks multiply.

This is why recent developments at the federal level matter, but must go further. In July 2025, the Rural Electrification Agency commissioned Nigeria’s first Mini Grid Testing and Simulation Centre in Abuja. The facility is designed to test solar panels, batteries, and inverters under simulated real-world conditions before deployment. It is a welcome step. It recognises officially what many practitioners have been saying for years that unchecked influx of substandard solar products threatens lives, investments, and confidence in renewable energy.

However, a testing centre alone cannot shield families if unsafe products continue to flood open markets. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria must move beyond paperwork and visibly enforce standards. Pre shipment verification should be rigorous. Post import testing should be routine. Market surveillance should be consistent. Importers who knowingly trade in dangerous equipment must face consequences. When enforcement is weak, the cost is eventually paid in smoke and loss.

State governments also have responsibilities. Safety commissions should require basic competency certification for solar installers. Many electricians are skilled and well intentioned, but lithium battery storage introduces hazards that go beyond conventional wiring. Proper ventilation, correct cable sizing, safe separation from living areas, and understanding of battery chemistry are now essential knowledge.

Industry leaders must reflect as well. The solar boom has generated significant revenue. With that revenue comes responsibility. Verified importer schemes, transparent product documentation, and safety led marketing would build long term trust.

Ultimately, households remain the last line of defence. Consumers must ask questions. Where will the battery be located? Is the room ventilated? Does the system carry valid certification? Was the installer trained specifically in solar energy storage? A low price should never outweigh safety. Installing a smoke detector near battery storage areas can provide early warning and precious minutes to escape.

Solar energy is not the problem. It is central to Nigeria’s economic resilience and to global climate goals. But unsafe energy is no solution. The introduction of Class L under ISO 3941 is a signal to the world that battery fire risks are real and rising. Nigeria does not need to wait for a major disaster before tightening standards and strengthening enforcement.

The sun gives us power freely. Our task is to ensure that in harnessing it, we do not introduce preventable danger into the heart of our homes. Safe energy requires standards, enforcement, training, and informed citizens. If we act decisively now, we can protect both lives and the future of renewable energy itself.

By Afolabi Ademosu, CertIOSH, MCIEH