5 kVA vs 10 kVA solar system in Nigeria: which do you need?
What inverter size actually means, why battery capacity matters more for backup hours, and how to size a home or small-business system to your real loads.
MGM Energy technical team · Engineering · 2026-09-21
'5 kVA or 10 kVA?' is the most common question we are asked, and it mixes up two things. The inverter size sets how much you can run at the same moment. The battery size sets for how long. Most disappointment with home solar comes from a big inverter on a small battery.
kVA, kW and kWh in one paragraph
kVA and kW describe power — what the inverter can deliver at once. kWh describes energy — what the battery stores. A 5 kW load running for 2 hours uses 10 kWh. So a household that runs two ACs, a fridge and lights through the night needs both enough inverter power for the combined load and enough battery energy for the hours.
A practical way to decide
- List what must run together at the busiest moment — that sets inverter size, with headroom for motor starts.
- List what must run overnight and for how many hours — that sets battery capacity.
- Check your daytime use and roof space — that sets array size.
- Check phase: larger homes often need a three-phase system.
Sized packages
MGM's homes packages pair inverter, battery and array sizes that work together, with prices in Naira. A site survey confirms the choice before order.