….REA, UNDP unveil 23 mini-grids across 15 states
By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Thursday assured Nigerians that electricity supply would improve before the end of 2026, saying the Federal Government is rehabilitating the national grid while expanding off-grid renewable energy projects to improve access to electricity.
The minister gave the assurance in Abuja at the media launch of the Africa Mini-Grid Programme (AMP) Nigeria Pilot Project, a renewable energy initiative jointly implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
According to the REA and UNDP, the programme has delivered 23 mini-grids across underserved communities in 15 states, providing electricity to about 20,000 households and benefiting more than 50,000 people while supporting productive economic activities, particularly in agriculture.
Addressing stakeholders, Adelabu said President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to improving electricity supply despite decades of underinvestment in the power sector.
“For the avoidance of doubt, before the end of this year, Nigerians will see a significant improvement in electricity delivery,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that resolving the country’s electricity challenges would take time.
“What was badly managed for 50 years cannot be resolved in six months. We are fixing the infrastructure, fixing the main grid, building off-grid assets where necessary and strengthening the resilience of the entire electricity network. The key thing is to give Nigerians electricity,” he said.
Adelabu described renewable energy as an integral component of Nigeria’s electricity mix rather than an alternative to conventional power generation.
“Renewable energy, especially solar technology, is not an alternative source of power. It is not a generator solution. It is an integral part of our national power architecture,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government is deploying technologies based on the energy needs of different communities, using mini-grids to provide electricity to locations beyond the reach of the national grid.
The minister commended the partnership between the REA, UNDP and GEF, describing the Africa Mini-Grid Programme as evidence of how collaboration can accelerate universal access to electricity.
He said the programme had gone beyond providing infrastructure by improving livelihoods through reliable electricity for businesses, healthcare, education and agriculture.
Adelabu noted that the 23 mini-grids had strengthened local economies by powering homes, businesses and productive enterprises, adding that host communities had embraced the facilities.
He also welcomed plans to expand the initiative, saying a second phase would target an additional 50 mini-grids and extend electricity access to another 50,000 households.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, described the programme as a model for delivering sustainable energy access while promoting economic development.
He said the initiative had demonstrated how reliable electricity could transform rural communities by boosting agricultural productivity, supporting local enterprises and creating jobs.
According to him, the programme’s impact extends beyond the number of mini-grids installed.
“The true impact of the AMP is found in the rice processor whose productivity has doubled, the farmer who now processes and stores produce locally, the woman entrepreneur whose business remains open after sunset, and the young technician who has discovered a new source of livelihood,” he said.
Aliyu explained that the programme was deliberately designed to address both energy poverty and agricultural poverty by integrating productive-use equipment into mini-grid projects.
He said access to reliable electricity had enabled farming communities to process and store agricultural produce, increase value addition and improve incomes.
“For decades, energy poverty and agricultural poverty have existed side by side. The Africa Mini-Grid Programme has challenged this reality by demonstrating that when reliable electricity reaches rural communities, farms become businesses, harvests become industries and communities become local economies,” he added.
Aliyu reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to expanding similar interventions across Nigeria and called on development partners, investors and the private sector to deepen collaboration in scaling renewable energy investments.
In her remarks, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the UNDP, Ahunna Eziakonwa, described Nigeria as one of the first countries to successfully complete the programme’s project cycle.
She said the successful implementation had demonstrated Nigeria’s capacity to scale renewable energy projects and attract additional investment.
“Nigeria is one of the first countries to complete the project cycle because it already has the capacity on the ground. This programme was designed with scaling in mind. Beyond these 23 mini-grids, we will build on existing initiatives, including hydro projects, while additional financing from the World Bank and other development partners will support expansion,” she said.
The Africa Mini-Grid Programme Nigeria Pilot Project is jointly implemented by the REA and UNDP with funding from the GEF. It is designed to demonstrate how decentralised renewable energy can expand electricity access, improve agricultural productivity, stimulate rural enterprises and promote climate-resilient economic development across Nigeria.
