itel Energy has issued a warning to solar energy users in Nigeria about the risks associated with improper installation and incorrect equipment configuration, noting that such mistakes can lead to system faults and undermine the overall performance of solar power systems.
The caution was delivered by Emmanuel Kumuyi, the company’s Country Technical Support Manager, during the Nigeria Energy Week event in Lagos. At the event, itel Energy showcased its product lineup and provided insight into common equipment faults, installation requirements, and the company’s after-sales support services.
Common Causes of Solar Equipment Failure
Kumuyi identified several recurring issues that compromise solar installations, including overloading, inadequate protection systems, installation errors, and the incorrect matching of solar panel capacity with inverter and battery specifications. These problems, he explained, are among the most frequent causes of equipment malfunction.
To mitigate these risks, he advised customers to engage certified engineers and to ensure their systems are properly configured before installation. He also stressed the importance of selecting a reliable brand backed by adequate technical support.
“The ways to avoid this is to ensure that you get a good brand, get the right configuration for your installation and, at the same time, what is important is to get a brand that has the right after-sales service support that can guide you even before you carry out this installation,” Kumuyi said.
Complaint Resolution and After-Sales Process
Kumuyi outlined the company’s complaint-handling framework, through which customers can report faults for technical assessment and resolution. Under this process, call-centre agents document complaints and forward them to online engineers for evaluation. When a problem cannot be resolved remotely, a field engineer is dispatched to visit the customer and determine whether repairs or a replacement are necessary.
He added that the resolution of reported faults depends on the warranty applicable to the specific product. itel Energy has also committed to resolving reported faults with its solar products within 48 hours, offering repair or replacement services as part of its after-sales support for customers across Nigeria.
Distributors Emphasise the Value of Reliable Support
Rotimi Thomas, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of SunFi, a key distributor of itel Energy products, underscored the importance of dependable after-sales support to distributors, noting that customers rely on them not only for equipment but also for repairs and replacements when problems arise.
“The 48-hour resolution commitment from itel Energy is very important for us as a distribution platform because we don’t make the product. When a consumer buys a product through SunFi, they’re actually buying a trusted service. That trust comes from the type of equipment we use and the promise of being able to replace or repair the asset when there’s a problem,” Thomas said.
He added that SunFi depends on itel Energy’s ability to take back a product when an issue is reported and repair or replace it within 48 hours, describing the service as critical to enabling distributors to deliver a trusted offering to consumers.
According to Thomas, the ability to repair or replace faulty equipment quickly helps distributors maintain customer confidence, particularly among households and businesses transitioning from petrol and diesel generators to solar energy.
“It has influenced customer decisions because they have a guarantee — a guarantee of trusted after-sales services. When there’s an issue, unlike other equipment they might buy in the market, they can get a repair or resolution very fast. That social proof makes them tell other people that this works and you can trust it. If you’re getting rid of your generator, you don’t want to get into another problem; you want a reliable power solution. The 48-hour resolution guarantees that reliable power service,” he explained.
Thomas urged consumers to look beyond the duration of a product warranty and to examine the manufacturer’s response to complaints, the terms governing repairs and replacements, and the support available during the warranty period.
Financing and Distribution Reach
Thomas also highlighted the cost challenges facing prospective solar users, noting that high interest rates and rising prices have made it difficult for some households and businesses to pay the full cost of solar and energy-storage systems upfront. In response, SunFi offers payment plans that allow customers to make an initial payment and spread the balance over periods ranging from three to 24 months or longer. He estimated that between 30 and 40 per cent of customers still seek payment plans, adding that flexible financing is important to expanding access to clean-energy solutions.
Lucky Ovenseri, itel Energy’s National Distributor Manager, said the company has distribution coverage across all 36 states, with showrooms in major cities including Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja. He noted that the company also operates dedicated energy after-sales centres to support customers who encounter problems with their products, and that a replacement policy allows customers to receive another unit while their faulty equipment is being worked on.
At the exhibition, itel Energy showcased its products, including the newly launched PowerTank 1000 and the IP54 11kW Hybrid Inverter for residential and commercial applications.
