A petrol generator looks cheap on the day you buy it. The real cost arrives every evening, one litre at a time. Here is an honest three-year comparison between running a generator and switching to solar with a power station, using real Lagos fuel prices and our own product prices.
The assumptions (so you can check our maths)
- Petrol: about ₦1,300 per litre — roughly the NNPC pump price in Lagos in September 2026. Prices vary by station and have been rising.
- Generator: a typical 3.5kVA petrol generator burning about 0.8 litres an hour at a normal home load.
- Use: 6 hours a day, every day — an evening of lights, fans, TV, fridge and phones.
- Maintenance: about ₦20,000 a month for oil changes, plugs and the occasional repair.
- We do not count the price of the generator itself, which makes the comparison kinder to the generator.
What the generator really costs
0.8 L × 6 hours × ₦1,300 = ₦6,240 a day
That is about ₦187,000 a month in fuel alone, or roughly ₦2.25 million a year — before maintenance.
| Cost | Generator | Solar + power station |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Not counted | ₦1,791,500 (YC 3600 + 2 × 650W panels) |
| Fuel, year 1 | ₦2,246,400 | ₦0 |
| Maintenance, year 1 | ₦240,000 | ₦0 |
| 3-year total | ₦7,459,200 | ₦1,791,500 + mounting and installation |
Even with fuel prices frozen at today's level, the generator costs about ₦5.6 million more over three years. At around ₦207,000 a month in fuel and maintenance, the solar setup pays for itself in under 9 months — and every month after that is money you keep.
What does the solar setup actually run?
The TURSAN YC 3600 stores 3.2kWh in a LiFePO4 battery and outputs 3600W of pure sine wave power. Two 650W panels make roughly 4.4kWh a day in Nigerian sun — more than enough to refill it. That comfortably covers what most people use a generator for in the evening: lights, fans, TV, router, laptops and a fridge. Heavy loads such as air conditioners, pumps and irons can run too, but for shorter periods.
On a tighter budget, the YC 2400 Classic with two 595W panels costs ₦1,261,500 and makes about 4kWh a day. For the same generator habit, that pays back in around six months.
What you get besides the savings
- Silence. No noise for you or your neighbours, and no fumes indoors.
- No fuel queues and no scrambling when prices jump overnight.
- Instant switchover. Power stations take over in milliseconds, so your Wi-Fi and TV do not even blink.
- Long life. LiFePO4 batteries are rated for 4,000+ charge cycles — more than ten years of daily use.
Should you sell the generator?
Not necessarily. Many customers keep it as a backup for long rainy spells and heavy jobs, and run solar for everyday life. Even then, cutting generator hours by 80–90% saves most of the fuel bill above.
The bottom line
If you run a generator for a few hours every day, solar is not a luxury — it is the cheaper option within a year. Not sure what size you need? Use our sizing calculator, read how many solar panels you need, or send us your appliance list on WhatsApp and we will size it for free.
Figures are estimates for illustration. Your fuel use depends on your generator, load and hours. Mounting rails, PV cable and installation are not included in the solar prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a generator cost over 3 years?
In this example, about ₦7.46 million in fuel and maintenance over 3 years, not counting the generator itself.
How quickly does solar pay for itself?
With fuel and maintenance at about ₦207,000 a month, the solar setup pays for itself in under 9 months.
What solar setup does this compare?
A TURSAN YC 3600 with 2 × 650W panels, which make about 4.4kWh a day in Nigerian sun, enough to refill it.
TURSAN YC 3600
3600W pure sine wave, 3.2kWh LiFePO4, 1200W solar input. Pairs with 2 panels in series. 2-year warranty.
Taekmo 650W Solar Panel
Premium N-type bifacial panel, 24.06% efficiency, all-black. 2-year warranty.
