Abstract

The global transition toward low-carbon energy systems has intensified interest in solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment. However, regional disparities in climatic conditions, infrastructure, and socioeconomic readiness pose critical challenges, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. This study evaluates the suitability of solar power systems across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones using a quantitative multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework. Four techniques-AHP-TOPSIS, VIKOR, PROMETHEE II, and Fuzzy ELECTRE-were applied to assess twelve indicators, including solar irradiance, grid access, load demand, cost factors, and policy support metrics. Results show that Fuzzy ELECTRE outperformed other models, yielding a 95% correlation with expert-based rankings and demonstrating higher robustness under data uncertainty. The North-East and North-West zones achieved the highest closeness coefficients (0.91 and 0.89 respectively), indicating high viability for solar energy transition and adoption. Conclusively, these findings provide a scalable framework for optimizing solar system infrastructure planning and deployment in a nation with heterogeneous climatic regions such as Nigeria.

Copyright of the paper named above is hereby assigned and transferred to the Nigerian Journal of Applied Science and Innovative Technology published by College of Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Nigeria.