REA to transform power-deprived areas into renewable energy hubs

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has pledged to turn communities where 86 million Nigerians currently lack access to electricity into a renewable energy hub for West Africa.

REA’s Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, made this commitment during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 10 Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs). He emphasized that while many see the electricity deficit as a challenge, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu views it as an opportunity for economic transformation.

“Our goal is to leverage this lack of access to make Nigeria the renewable energy hub of West Africa,” Aliyu stated.

To achieve this, he highlighted the need for financing, implementation frameworks, operational structures, and the development of local talent in the renewable energy sector. He also noted that the Tinubu administration has demonstrated its commitment by signing the largest public sector-funded renewable energy project in West Africa.

Aliyu further revealed that the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) project has commenced, with the installation of 14 interconnected mini-grids to provide reliable power for underserved communities.

To accelerate progress, REA has secured approval to increase the capacity of mini-grids beyond the previous one-megawatt limit. This approval enables the agency to develop a 21.5 MW interconnected mini-grid system.

President Tinubu has also approved N100 billion in funding for rural electrification under the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of governance through sustainable energy solutions.