The Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, has disclosed that the agency has completed the installment of 67 mini-grids and provided electricity for over 5 million households under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) in an effort to deepen the country’s access to electricity.
Salihijo Ahmad stated this at the weekend I’m Abuja while briefing journalists over the activities of the agency.
He added that the NEP was borne out of a need for the government of President Buhari to sustainably tackle the problem of energy access, whilst stimulating economic growth and impacting positively on the Lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
Ahmad said , “The Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) is an initiative of the Federal Government implemented by the REA to accelerate the off-grid renewable energy private sector market and bridge the overall energy access deficit.
“The NEP aims to achieve this by providing electricity to households, MSMEs, educational and healthcare facilities in unserved and underserved rural communities through the deployment of solar hybrid mini grids, Solar Home Systems (SHS), captive hybrid power plants and energy efficient productive use equipment/appliances.
He explained that the federal government had secured $550million financing from both the World Bank ($350m) and the African Development Bank ($200m) for the implementation of the project in alignment with the rural electrification strategy and implementation plan and the power sector recovery plan.
Stressing on the need for more private sector investment in the delivery of public infrastructure, Ahmad said that a total of $64.8 million has so far been disbursed out of over $392 million committed for the project.
In her presentation, the head, project management unit of NEP, Anita Otubu said that the World Bank’s $350m is being implemented through five components, including Solar Hybrid Mini Grid, Standalone Solar Home Systems (SHS), Energizing Education Program Phase II (EEP II) and Technical Assistance; while the AfDB’s $200m is being implemented through the Solar Hybrid Mini Grid, Energy Efficient Productive Use Equipment (PUE), Energizing Education Program Phase III (EEP III) and Technical Assistance components.
“Through these five (5) consolidated components, the was designed to provide new or improved electricity access to approximately 2.5 million people, 705,000 households, 90,000 MSMEs, healthcare facilities, 15 Universities and 3 associated Teaching Hospitals, white deploying 22,692 productive use equipment and appliances to mini-grid communities for demand stimulation and sustainability.
“Since its effectiveness in 2019, the NEP has been managed by the Project Management Unit (PMU) which comprises consultants with expertise in various technical fields, seconded staff from the REA, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, as well as a team of support staff.
“For a transparent and methodical implementation of projects under the NEP, the PMU also engages a robust monitoring, evaluation, learning and due diligence framework which involves the engagement of a web based M&E platform, Independent Verification Agent, Grant Administrator, Project Owners Engineer and Legal Support,” she said.
According to her, the solar hybrid mini grid component aims to support the development of private sector mini grids across Nigeria with a total fund allocation of $1 95m.
“The component targets to electrify 405,000 households, 50,000 MSMEs, 100 isolation/treatment centres and 400 primary healthcare centres. The objectives of this component are to provide clean, safe, affordable electricity to unserved and underserved communities; and increase business productivity,” she said.
