REA Targets Electricity Access for 17.5 Million Nigerians

BY DEBORAH OLADAPO

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) says it is implementing nationwide projects aimed at providing electricity access to at least 17.5 million Nigerians through grid extension, mini-grid deployment, and solar home systems.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Abba Aliyu, disclosed this in Abuja during an interview held after the agency’s 2025 Customer Service Week celebration.

Aliyu said the agency had rolled out several renewable energy programmes in collaboration with development partners and private firms to expand access to affordable and sustainable electricity in rural and underserved communities.

“We are working on a programme to provide electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians. That is an audacious target,” he said. “Under the Rural Electrification Fund, we have deployed several mini-grids and solar home systems across the country. These efforts are part of our broader commitment to close Nigeria’s energy access gap.”

Earlier this year, the agency signed grant agreements with nine renewable energy companies under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) project. The firms — including Privida Power, Baobab Plus, Salpha Energy, Asolar, NTA-StarTimes, A4&T Power Solutions, Sunking Greenlight Planet, Bboxx, and D.Light — are expected to deploy new mini-grids and solar systems targeting millions of off-grid Nigerians.

According to the REA, the initiative will establish over 300,000 new connections and add about 47 megawatts of clean energy to Nigeria’s electricity supply once completed.

Aliyu noted that the projects align with President Bola Tinubu’s drive to expand electricity access and improve energy security, particularly for unserved and underserved communities.

“This week allows us to reflect on our performance and accountability to Nigerians. Our mandate is to bring electricity to over 80 million Nigerians who currently lack reliable power. We are proud of the progress made so far,” he said.

REA’s Executive Director of Technical Services, Umar Umar, added that the agency had delivered more mini-grids in the past year than ever before, describing 2025 as the agency’s most productive year in terms of deployment and project completion.

Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund, Doris Ubo, also said the agency is scaling up its projects nationwide, targeting an additional 3,700 communities through a mix of interconnected and isolated mini-grids to ensure equitable access to clean energy.

REA officials reiterated that the agency’s programmes — including the Nigeria Electrification Project and the Energising Education Programme — aim to support households, schools, and small businesses while contributing to national economic growth.