Spatial Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling up Off-Grid Renewable Energy Access for Sustainable Cities in Nigeria

The paper examines the spatial challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up off-grid renewable energy systems for sustainable urban development in Nigeria. It argues that Nigeria’s urban electricity crisis is not merely a problem of insufficient generation but fundamentally a spatial distribution challenge shaped by uneven urban growth, infrastructural inequality, and governance constraints. As cities expand rapidly, particularly into peri-urban and informal settlements, electricity demand increasingly outpaces infrastructure development, resulting in persistent spatial inequalities in access, reliability, and affordability. The paper adopts a qualitative conceptual research design. It relies on a systematic review and synthesis of peer reviewed literature, policy documents, and institutional reports on urbanization, energy access, renewable energy deployment, and spatial planning in developing countries. The analysis is guided by spatial geography and energy transition perspectives, which are used to develop a conceptual framework linking urbanization dynamics, uneven energy demand, institutional constraints, and decentralized energy solutions. Findings show that spatial inequalities in electricity access are reinforced by weak coordination between urban and energy planning, financing constraints, and land and regulatory barriers. In this context, off-grid renewable energy systems, particularly solar mini-grids, offer viable alternatives for expanding electricity access where grid extension is limited. The study further highlights the importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a spatial planning tool for identifying underserved areas and guiding targeted energy investments. The paper concludes that achieving sustainable urban energy transitions in Nigeria requires spatially informed planning, stronger institutional coordination, and strategic deployment of decentralized renewable energy systems.