The federal government has signed a €9.3 million (about N4.39 billion) agreement with eight local firms to deliver 23 mini-grid solar power projects across 11 states.
The projects are expected to generate a 5.4-kilowatt peak electricity to connect about 27,600 households, and impact over 138,000 Nigerians in two years. The project is coordinated by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) with support from the European Union (EU) and the German government through the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP).
Speaking at the signing of the Interconnected Mini-grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS) award grant agreement at the REA office in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, commended the management of REA for their effort and actions towards ensuring power reached the off-grid communities.
He said, “According to the developed National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy, the vision 30:30:30 aims at achieving 30,000 megawatts of electricity by the year 2030, with renewable energy contributing 30 per cent of the energy mix. To achieve this, Nigeria will have to construct over a thousand mini-grids of 100 kilowatts.”
The 23 mini-grids will be across 11 states which include Zamfara, Niger, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Cross River.
Managing Director of REA, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, said, “As an agency, we encourage investors to explore the solar mini-grid sector.
“However, one major constraint to this is usually financing. This is why the Rural Electrification Agency, with the support of NESP, is working together to alleviate this bottleneck.
“We do this by providing in-kind grants to selected mini-grid developers on favourable and encouraging terms as contained in the Grant Agreement.”
Head of Programme at NESP, Benjamin Duke, assured that his team would continue to work to build investors’ confidence in the sector by developing an accurate electricity market intelligence that would provide investors with accurate data about the country’s electricity needs.
