Emeka Okoroanyanwu
Acting Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth, African Development Bank, Wale Shonibare, said over 500,000 rural dwellers in Nigeria are to benefit from the Bank’s $200 million rural electrification intervention fund for the country.
They are to have access to approximately 76.5 MW of increased installed power of which 68MW will be solar generated,” he said.
The project under the National Electrification Project (NEP), will address critical energy access deficits by channeling private sector investments into mini grid and off-grid solutions.
The project, which will be implemented by Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency, is a boost to efforts to achieve the target of universal energy access by 2030.
Joint financing of $200 million from the Bank and Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF) will de-risk and scale-up private sector investment in the off-grid sector, nurturing a business ecosystem conducive to the rapid electrification of Nigeria’s off-grid communities.
At the launch of the initiative, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy Agba, thanked the African Development Bank for investing in the project, and highlighted its transformative potential.
“Imagine the impact a project like the NEP will have when it is replicated across rural communities in the country,” he said.
Eight universities will have access to reliable energy, he added, and 150 female students will receive training on renewable energy solutions.
In addition, 20,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) will be supplied with appliances and equipment.
Senior Director for the African Development Bank in Nigeria, EBRIMA fAAL said the NEP and other Bank-supported energy projects had been carefully designed to ensure that Nigerians have better access to reliable, affordable and safe power.
