Peak Sun Hours in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
- Solar zone
- Zone 4 (excellent)
- Best month
- April (6.6)
- Worst month
- August (5.1)
- Climate
- Arid · 28.5°C
Monthly solar breakdown
| Month | GHI | Clear-sky | DNI | DHI | Temp °C | Humid % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.94 | 6.13 | 5.27 | 2.24 | 23.1 | 19 |
| Feb | 6.29 | 6.54 | 4.67 | 2.67 | 26.8 | 14 |
| Mar | 6.57 | 6.99 | 4.02 | 3.06 | 30.4 | 12 |
| Apr | 6.58 | 7.16 | 3.79 | 3.14 | 33.3 | 21 |
| May | 6.25 | 7.07 | 3.65 | 2.91 | 33.6 | 36 |
| Jun | 5.80 | 6.85 | 3.16 | 2.81 | 31.9 | 49 |
| Jul | 5.45 | 6.90 | 2.82 | 2.66 | 29.1 | 62 |
| Aug | 5.08 | 7.03 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 26.9 | 75 |
| Sep | 5.70 | 6.91 | 3.55 | 2.52 | 27.6 | 71 |
| Oct | 6.02 | 6.57 | 4.52 | 2.41 | 28.6 | 50 |
| Nov | 6.06 | 6.28 | 5.73 | 2.04 | 26.4 | 27 |
| Dec | 5.80 | 5.94 | 5.77 | 1.95 | 23.7 | 23 |
GHI, Clear-sky, DNI, DHI in kWh/m²/day. Data: NASA POWER climatology (long-term monthly averages).
Off-grid calculator
Add appliances
- Add an appliance to size a system.
Sizing
- Daily load
- 0.00 kWh
- Panel wattage
- 0 W
- Panel count (400W modules)
- 0
- Battery bank
- 0.0 kWh
Sizing against worst-month PSH of 5.08 kWh/m²/day, 0.77 system efficiency.
About solar in Maiduguri
Maiduguri, Nigeria has a dry climate with long hours of direct sunshine and low humidity. Its annual peak sun hours average 5.96 kWh/m²/day, a excellent solar resource by global standards.
The strongest month in Maiduguri is April (spring) at 6.58 kWh/m²/day, and the weakest is August (summer) at 5.08 kWh/m²/day. When sizing a year-round off-grid system, it's standard practice to design against the August value rather than the annual average — otherwise the battery bank runs low during the darkest weeks.
Maiduguri's solar conditions are well within the range where off-grid PV is a straightforward engineering exercise with standard-sized arrays and lithium batteries.
FAQ
- What are the peak sun hours in Maiduguri?
- Maiduguri averages 5.96 peak sun hours per day annually, ranging from 5.08 in August to 6.58 in April.
- How many solar panels do I need in Maiduguri?
- Panel count depends on your daily load. At Maiduguri's annual average of 5.96 kWh/m²/day, a 5 kWh/day load needs roughly 3 × 400 W panels. Use the calculator above for your actual load.
- What size battery do I need in Maiduguri?
- Sizing against Maiduguri's worst month (August, 5.08 kWh/m²/day) with 2 days of autonomy at 80% depth of discharge, a 5 kWh/day load needs about a 12.5 kWh battery bank.
- How does Maiduguri's solar resource compare globally?
- Maiduguri sits in solar zone 4 out of 5 (where 5 is strongest) at 5.96 kWh/m²/day — excellent by global standards. For reference, top-tier desert sites average ~6.5 and high-latitude cities around 2.5 kWh/m²/day.
- How often should I clean solar panels in Maiduguri?
- Arid climates can drop output 10–20% between cleanings. Quarterly cleaning is typical for Maiduguri; monthly during dust-storm seasons. Dew alone isn't enough when rainfall is infrequent.
- Does extreme heat hurt solar output in Maiduguri?
- Yes. Panel efficiency drops ~0.4% per °C above 25 °C cell temperature. In Maiduguri, midday cell temperatures of 55–70 °C can derate output 12–18% below nameplate.
- Is Maiduguri's solar resource as strong as the numbers suggest?
- Maiduguri's 5.96 kWh/m²/day is excellent globally. But heat derating and dust accumulation mean real-world yields typically land 10–15% below this headline figure — factor that into sizing.