ABUJA/Nigeria: The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has taken a pivotal step toward expanding renewable energy access in Nigeria by signing a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with several strategic partners. This landmark agreement, sealed at a ceremony in Abuja, seeks to deliver clean, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions to underserved, unserved, and peri-urban communities across the country.
The REA, with a robust track record in sector coordination and energy access projects, is broadening its network of partnerships to drive innovation in renewable energy. Collaborating with four government bodies — the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), National Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) — the Agency aims to integrate sustainable energy into key national institutions. In addition, over 20 Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) have joined this initiative, committing resources to expand renewable energy capacity in alignment with the REA’s objectives.
This multi-stakeholder initiative is not only a stride towards achieving energy access targets but also aligns with Nigeria’s 2023 Electricity Act and the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. This Act underscores the nation’s commitment to a data-driven, impact-focused approach that enhances institutional operations, reduces CO2 emissions, lowers costs, and boosts sustainability efforts.
REA’s Managing Director and CEO, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, underlined the importance of a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to tackling Nigeria’s electricity access challenges. He remarked on the critical need for collaboration across the electricity value chain, pointing out that the REA is tasked with implementing the National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (NESIP), a strategic pathway to expanding energy access with precision.
Immigration Comptroller General Kemi Nanna Nandap shared her enthusiasm for this new energy partnership, highlighting its potential to bolster border security initiatives with sustainable power solutions. She noted that technology-driven operations, including the NIS’s advanced data centre, will be sustainably powered by renewable energy, enhancing the agency’s ability to manage border security and community engagement in rural areas.
In a similar vein, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, Mohammed Sheidu, praised the REA’s contributions to public safety. “Reliable energy is central to our technology and operational readiness. This partnership with the REA will bring sustainable power to police facilities, strengthening our capacity to protect the public,” Sheidu noted. The MoU with the REA is expected to advance police welfare and improve efficiency through renewable energy-driven infrastructure.
The REA is also preparing to launch the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) initiative, which promises significant advancements in the country’s off-grid electrification landscape. Olufemi Akinyelure, head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme, highlighted the importance of private-sector involvement in scaling these efforts, calling on investors to catalyse funding and innovation in renewable energy.
Speaking on the agricultural sector’s energy needs, Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, Muhammed Abu, stressed the vital role of clean energy in boosting productivity. With the REA’s support, solar-powered systems for irrigation and post-harvest processing will drive year-round farming and reduce losses in crop quality and quantity, Abu explained.
This MoU signifies a robust commitment to capacity building, policy support, and private-sector investment in renewable energy. By fostering an enabling environment for public-private partnerships, the REA is paving the way for transformative changes across Nigeria’s energy landscape, signalling a new era in the nation’s pursuit of clean and sustainable power.
