On Wednesday, the Rural Electrification Agency(REA) said it delivered 103 Solar Hybrid Mini-grid projects across the country under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), funded by the World Bank.
It said a total of 46,661 verified connections have been made to households, MSMEs, and public facilities.
The agency’s Managing Director(MD), Engr Ahmad Salihijo, made the disclosure during its 10th Mini-Grid virtual Roundtable discussion with developers.
According to him, the project delivered under the Performance Based Grant (PBG) subcomponent of the NEP was a step towards enhancing electricity access for households, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as public facilities in rural and underserved parts of the country.
While stating that an additional 281,578 connections are in progress to expand the project’s impact further and reach, he noted that “each connection will help bridge the energy gap and foster economic development.”
He expressed the agency’s commitment to bridging the energy access gap in Nigeria saying: “The REA was established with the mandate to increase access to electricity by bridging the energy access deficit in Nigeria.
” Since inception, we have made significant progress in achieving this goal. The Agency is implementing various electrification programmes – like the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) targeted at creating lasting impacts by fostering economic growth, improving education, and enhancing the overall quality of life of Nigerians.”
He identified Performance Based Grant (PBG) as one of the key strategies it is using to achieve its goal.
Salihijo explained that the PBG is a financing mechanism that provides grants to qualified developers to construct and operate mini-grids in rural communities.
“So far, the PBG has successfully attracted private sector investments in mini-grids. Over 80 mini-grids have been completed and commissioned through the NEP, connecting about 32,000 households, MSMEs, and public facilities and providing clean and reliable electricity,” he added.
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