Bridging Nigeria’s urban energy gap: Assessing hybrid energy microgrids trends, deployment, and future pathways

Nigeria’s increasing demand for reliable and sustainable urban electricity faces challenges from grid instability, high costs, and environmental concerns. Despite abundant renewable resources, reliance on fossil fuels remains, leading to energy insecurity and pollution. Hybrid Energy Systems (HES) offer a feasible pathway to improve reliability, lower costs, and reduce emissions. This study provides a comprehensive analysis − systematic, bibliometric, meta-analysis, and comparative − of existing literature on HES applications in Nigeria’s cities to examine research trends, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest strategic recommendations for future implementation. The analysis reveals a shift in focus as urban energy solutions surpassed rural ones in 2022, driven by urban growth, climate change issues, and advances in energy storage technology. Key findings demonstrate that solar photovoltaics (PV) (89.7%) and battery storage (79.41%) dominate HES configurations, with HOMER (76.47%) being the most used design tool; economic analysis highlights Net Present Cost (NPC) (55.88%) and Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) (39.71%). Additionally, economic indicators show an average LCOE of $0.17/kWh and an average NPC of $17.1 million, confirming cost competitiveness and significant CO₂ reduction potential (35–95%). Moreover, grid-connected systems have on average, 22% lower LCOE compared to off-grid configurations. Despite progress, issues such as policy barriers, financing challenges, and lack of public awareness persist. Recommended strategies include boosting research and development, adopting supportive policies, building technical skills, and encouraging public participation. By harnessing its rich renewable resources and fast-tracking HES microgrid adoption, Nigeria can foster a sustainable urban energy future.