From News Editor
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), says it is providing 250,000 households with electric mobility, mini-grids, home systems to boost electricity in the country next year.
The Director Promotion and Outreach (PIO), Malam Mutari Ibrahim who stated this in a statement in Abuja, said “In response to subsidy removal, REA is implementing interventions to develop electric mobility, mini-grids, distribute home systems, deploy streetlights, potentially supporting up to 250,000 households in the coming year.”
Ibrahim added that the agency had equally deployed more than 1,650 Kilo Metres (KM) of solar streetlights, improving power, security, and economic growth in rural areas.
He said that REA also completed 1,403 projects under the capital budget, delivering solar streetlights, mini-grid projects, standalone home systems, and grid extension works.
” Through various programmes, including Energisng Education Programme. Energising Agriculture Programme beyond COVID-19, and Economic Clusters, REA delivered more than 65 Mega Watts (MW) of power across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
”The agency has delivered more than 500MW of power, electrified numerous communities, created 500,000 new jobs, and attracted over two billion dollars in investments in the renewable energy sector over the past decade.
”In advancing these achievements, we have established partnerships with the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Global Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP),” he said.
Other partnership secured are with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF).
He said that the agency also secured partnership with the European Union, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
‘Others are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Korean Institute of Advancement of Technology (KIAT)
”In 2022, as part of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (NPRGS) Programme, REA secured an additional four billion in capital injection grants.
”To provide clean power standalone home systems to more than 50,000 locations, including rural homes, micro-businesses, schools, and faith-based institutions,” he said.
Ibrahim said that from 2020 to date, REA had provided power to more than 7.5 million people, including 1.5 million households, delivering 130 Mini-Grid Projects, including 1.3 million standalone home systems.
According to him, most recently, the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), REA negotiated and secured the advance approval of a 750 million dollars facility with the World Bank.
The aim he said was to expand renewable and rural electrification initiatives, providing additional resources to Nigeria during a challenging period.
