Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad

Yesterday, my team and I joined the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu where we spent time with the good people of Adafila community in Oyo state, assessing the 90KwP solar hybrid mini-grid deployed by the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA through the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project Performance-Based Grant.

As part of the REA’s stance on accelerated deployment of energy access infrastructure nationwide, the Adafila mini-grid has been completed and activated for 2 years, enabling community members to enjoy the transformative impact of sustainable energy, 24/7 since its activation till date.

In line with the Honourable Minister’s hands-on approach to project impact assessment, he had the opportunity to engage community members, receiving feedback on the impact of the mini-grid. Over 1,300 households, clinics, schools, and local businesses are being impacted through this intervention. We are happy to witness another successful intervention, one of over 100 mini-grids so far deployed through the NEP-PBG.

The RENEWED Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is one rooted in practical implementation of people-focused interventions. With His Excellency’s passage of the 2023 Electricity Act last year, the Federal Ministry of Power is coordinating stakeholders, driving a pathway designed for even more transformative change in the sector.

At the REA, our plan is to continue to optimize the novel insights and guidance of the Honourable Minister, Chief Adebayo Adelabu to strengthen the mandate of the agency for continuous impact nationwide.

Today, we laid down a new set of building blocks for development in Rubuchi Community, Kuje Area Council, FCT. With over 100 mini-grids deployed across the nation through the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA, every one of such interventions started with only a few blocks and a clear objective to alleviate energy poverty, one community at a time.

Upon the timely completion of this project, thousands of residents in this community will be impacted through a 900KwP interconnected solar mini-grid.

Through the guidance of the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and the Development Assistance from Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), the groundbreaking ceremony today marks another milestone in the off-grid space as the Federal Government deepens the impact of renewable energy technologies nationwide.

Later today, I will provide some insight on the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA’s recent efforts on energy data management as well as the next line up of communities within and around the FCT set to be energized through solar hybrid mini-grids, leveraging the ODA.

These impactful interventions is another testament to the Nigerian Government’s strategic partnerships with the global community.

Today, the Federal Minister of Power through the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria marked another milestone in the energy sector. 180,000 Nigerians in Toto Community, Nasarawa State now has access to clean, safe and reliable energy through a 352.24KwP solar hybrid interconnected mini-grid. Today, we delightfully celebrate with a community now relieved from energy poverty.

I will like to align with the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu that “power has no color” and it is the right of every Nigerian to have access to electricity irrespective of where they live. Therefore, stakeholders with diverse mandates must continue to collaborate and explore innovative ways to deliver sustainable energy for all.

With the collaboration between the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, PowerGen Renewable Energy (the Project Developer) and the Federal Government’s implementing Agency, REA we have once again shown what can be achieved through the power of synergy and strategic partnerships.

Equally, with over 100 mini-grids so far deployed through the The World Bank Performance-Based Grant under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), we have confidence in this model.

The current trajectory of the energy sector must be optimized fully. His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) has set us on a commendable growth path through the passage of the 2023 Electricity Act. With the passion, vision and foresight of the Honourable Minister of Power, we will continue to deliver on our mandate.

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It has been a productive week at the Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) in Abuja. It was great joining other industry professionals earlier today for a panel session where we X-rayed the barriers to electrification projects as well as the solutions we continue to explore in our efforts to accelerate universal access to sustainable energy in Nigeria and Africa.

Attendees and industry leaders at stopped by at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria Stand to engage the team and make inquiries on project updates and opportunities in the sector.

Araromi-Oke-Odo, Osun State Access 1st Energy Source Since 1932 through the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP):

It is always appealing to see how previously unserved and underserved communities go through the journey of transformative change through the deployment of decentralized energy systems.

We are happy to see how we continue to power Nigeria, one community at a time through the The World Bank-funded Performance-Based Grant (PBG) being optimized through the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP). With a great, effective model in place, the goal is to continue to power more lives.

With a 50KwP Solar Hybrid Mini-Grid now successfully delivered, I join the people of Araromi-Oke-Odo in Osun State in celebration for joining the list of over 100 communities currently benefiting from the .

This ancient, agrarian community is accessing its very first energy source since it came into being in 1932. Working with State Governments through our strategy the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria has been a very productive endeavor. We thank His Excellency, Governor Adesola Adeleke for his support.

I equally commend the Project Developer for this particular project, Sholep Energy for the dedication to community service from inception to the successful delivery of the Araromi Project.

Read more here https://lnkd.in/djeTEfws.

Earlier today, my colleagues and I at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA officially briefed the newly appointed Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Mr. Tope Fashedemi on the mandate of the Agency, the implementation of its various programmes as well as milestones achieved so far on the nation’s journey towards sustainable energy access.

With the recent developments in the electricity sector and the new direction as laid out in the 2023 Electricity Act, we have a collective responsibility to further deepen transformative change for the unserved and the underserved, while alleviating energy poverty through renewable energy solutions.

It was a productive engagement with the Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary and we are committed to driving sustainable impact at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria. We appreciate the Minister’s incisive feedback and strategic plans targeted at delivering on his role at the Federal Ministry of Power.

Earlier today, I was delighted to join the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi; Directors of the Ministry; Heads of other agencies in the Power sector and well-wishers at the reception of the newly appointed Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu. On behalf of the Management and Staff of the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA, I use this medium to, once again congratulate the Honourable Minister of Power and all other Ministers who officially took the Oath of Office today as they take on this critical national assignment.

The business of electrification is strengthened through strategic collaborations with key stakeholders; both local and global. This is why the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA continues to optimize opportunities for strategic alliances as part of our efforts to strengthen the off-grid space and sustain the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure to the unserved and the underserved.

Yesterday, my team and I had a productive Roundtable with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where we shared insights and assessed partnership opportunities as well as support from JICA, under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP). A government-led, private sector-driven Programme, the NEP has become a tool for accelerated deployment of energy access projects and solutions which we plan to continue to optimize to power Nigeria, one community at a time.

The theme for the 2023 , "Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World" is apt. Now, more than ever, young people across Africa must become active actors and change-makers in the continent's efforts towards leveraging clean, green technologies for sustainable growth. The youths must be at the forefront of innovation, R&D, knowledge transfer, and impactful skills targeted at developing the continent.

Today, we were joined by The World Bank President, Mr. Ajay Banga, Damilola Ogunbiyi, the CEO of SEforALL, and other stakeholders on a visit to Petti Village in the FCT where we have, through the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project, deployed a 60KwP solar mini-grid, closing the energy gap in this vibrant, agrarian community.

Through the NEP, we continue to close the energy gap in unserved and underserved communities across the nation, leveraging data-driven renewable energy technologies while catalyzing socio-economic development through the productive use of energy.

The Petti mini-grid is one out of over 80 solar hybrid mini-grids we have successfully deployed through the NEP, optimizing the World Bank's Performance-Based Grant (PBG), drawing in a committed community of private sector developers into the nation's off-grid sector.

I was delighted to have Mr. Ajay Banga join in while experiencing the best part of our work at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria: engaging with beneficiaries of the Federal Government's off-grid electrification efforts and receiving real-time feedback on the transformative power of renewables.

As part of the REA’s push for improved community ownership and social inclusion in the off-grid space, we continue to work in lockstep with respective community leaders. Today, alongside the World Bank President, we paid a courtesy call to Chief Haruna Sarki, H.H, the Etsu of Petti.

In line with the FG's mandate on rural electrification, the REA has so far leveraged the Nigeria Electrification Project to deploy over 7MW of renewable energy, completing over 80 solar hybrid mini-grids, achieving over 1.4 million SHS connections and impacting over 7 million Nigerians.

🔌⚡ As we push forth on in Nigeria, delivering sustainable energy access infrastructure in off-grid communities across the nation, the 2023 Electricity Act is sure to further transform the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI); leveraging support and quality collaboration from all key actors in the sector. Collectively, we must get to work to optimize the new framework and accelerate data-driven, renewable energy solutions for socio-economic development.

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Yesterday, I paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as he takes on the critical task on national security. At the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA, we understand the nexus between the accelerated deployment of energy access programmes and security. We plan to continue to light up last-mile communities, schools, healthcare institutions, and markets through renewable energy solutions to curb insecurity.

The growing community of change-makers across Africa's renewable energy sector must continue to uphold the centrality of sustainability of infrastructure by deepening the productive use (PU) ecosystem in unserved and underserved communities.

As we continue to observe through the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA’s programmes, sustainability lies at the heart of energy access efforts. By prioritizing the existing socio-economic systems in last-mile communities, building local capacity, and empowering communities, we're not just providing electricity, but creating a sustainable energy ecosystem that powers progress and transforms lives.

This is why I continue to seize the opportunity to encourage renewable energy developers and other key players in the sector to maintain and expand close-knit relationships with community members and project beneficiaries, as their buy-in is critical to the optimal usage of these facilities.

Earlier today, I had the privilege of engaging with the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Abdulrahman Abdulrazak. While paying a courtesy call to His Excellency, our engagement provided another opportunity to bring him up to speed on the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA’s impact report as well as well as the interventions we have recently delivered across the nation through the Agency’s programmatic strategy.

Through our data-driven decision making as well as our keen attention to strategic collaborations for sustainable development, dating back to about 2 years ago with the full support and guidance of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), we recognized the need to strengthen the REA’s engagement with State Governments, seeing how important the State Governments are for the accelerated deployment of energy access programmes nationwide.

It was great to have the opportunity to brief His Excellency on the ongoing engagement between the REA and Focal Persons in all 36 states of the federation. Only last year, we had a knowledge-driven workshop with the state governments which has led to better coordination and solution-driven collaborations.

The REA’s initial groundwork and foresight is even clearer now with the passing of the 2023 Electricity Act which has granted states the power to invest along the sector’s value chain. Working in lockstep with the state governments, we can surely open up new windows of opportunities and possibilities, drawing in investments, improving private sector participation but most importantly, accelerating people-centered electrification solutions.

There are, surely, great possibilities on data access, capacity development, sustainable finance, planning and implementation, sustainability of energy access projects as well as R&D. The REA is positioned to serve as key a stakeholder for the delivery of these pivotal touch points.

A Blueprint for Productive Use of Clean Energy: An Accelerator in Nigeria Generates Solutions for Linking Mini-Grids to Agricultural Equipment in Rural Communities.

This interesting op-Ed by Scarlett Santana, a Principal at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Global South Program explains the logic behind the Energizing Agriculture Program (EAP), which the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria is currently implementing.

We are all excited about the amazing progress we are making through the EAP, thanks to the REA team, the RMI, The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Read full article here
https://nextbillion.net/blueprint-productive-use-clean-energy-accelerator-nigeria-solutions-linking-mini-grids-agricultural-equipment-rural-communities/ via NextBillion.net

Homepage - NextBillion An open forum for discussion of social enterprise, poverty alleviation and business development in emerging markets and beyond.

It wasn’t a coincidence that today, the provided us with another opportunity to emphasize the true essence of sustainable energy access in previously unserved and underserved communities: to catalyze productive use of energy and facilitate socio-economic development.

It was great touring the Kilankwa community in Kwali, FCT earlier today with & the World Bank team, led by Ms. Elizabeth Huybens, the Bank’s Director of Strategy and Operations for Western and Southern Africa. Kilankwa I and Kilankwa II are being powered through the Performance-Based Grant under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).

I strongly align with Ms. Huybens on her feedback on the centrality of energy access in all efforts targeted at poverty alleviation as well as the centrality of productive use of energy for the growth of individuals and communities.

With over 300 connections so far achieved in Kilankwa II, we already see local businesses connected to the 60KwP solar hybrid minigrid, including an energy efficient rice mill and community clinics.

With over 80 solar hybrid minigrids so far deployed, a strong portfolio of private sector players as well as the achievement of thousands of connections in communities across the nation, the NEP has proven to be an exemplar in Africa’s offgrid electrification ecosystem.

The plan is to further deepen these efforts, especially with the recent subsidy removal and the great opportunities we can explore through renewable energy technologies.

📍Danchitagi Village, Lavun LGA, Niger State:

As always, “people” must be at the center of offgrid electrification interventions across Nigeria. This is why I and my team at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria continue to view decentralized energy beyond just the exploration of technologies, but as a solution-driven venture targeted at socioeconomic impact and per capita development across the nation.

Yesterday, Friday the 23rd, we visited the 200KwP solar hybrid mini-grid deployed through the The World Bank Performance Based Grant under REA’s Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), leveraging on PowerGen Renewable Energy’s expertise.

After a detailed assessment of the project as well as several candid conversations with the community members and business owners in Danchitagi, I am delighted to report back that this project is already being productively utilized to power businesses such as the community rice mill, hair salons, tailoring stores, cold drink stores, homes and other businesses.

With the current state of the offgrid, renewable energy ecosystem in Nigeria, the Federal Government has shown the power of foresight in the implementation of programmes and policies because with the recent fuel subsidy removal, there must now be a renewed sense of urgency to double down on the commendable efforts the government and other key stakeholders have put in over the years to now deepen the renewable energy use to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

We already see this happening in communities across the nation where we have REA projects situated, be it SHS technologies, micro grids or solar powered irrigation pumps. We find beneficiaries are actively decommissioning diesel-powered and petrol-powered sets to rely on REA’s renewable energy interventions; a more affordable alternative.

There are countless opportunities to further expand the current state to catalyze the productive use market, develop upon e-mobility infrastructure, cut down on running costs incurred by MSMEs nationwide, power critical institutions such as schools and healthcare institutions and improve energy access in underserved communities.

I was happy to see a functional pilot equipment for rice milling at the village, designed under the REA’s Energizing Agriculture Programme (EAP).

The EAP is a unique programme launched in 2022 in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to catalyze economic development and improve rural livelihoods in Nigeria through linking minigrids and agricultural productivity.

With the work being done from the REA end, led by the Programme Lead, Mohammed Jibril and RMI Country Lead, Suleiman Babamanu over the next three years, this programme will foster a pipeline of agriculture-energy projects that demonstrate the impact of collaborative development efforts across the energy and agriculture sectors.

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Thank you very much for receiving me today Your Excellency Vice President Kashim Shettima and for the words of encouragement on our achievements at the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria - REA as we continue to power unserved and underserved Nigerians, One Community at a time.

-My thoughts on the REA - OANDO partnership-

Yesterday, the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria, my colleagues and I received the team Oando Plc Clean Energy Limited (OCEL), led by Dr. Ainojie Alexander Irune (PhD), the President and CEO of OCEL where we signed an MoU, enabling us to pull our collective strength to boost renewable energy access across Nigeria.

Over the years, the REA has extensively optimized Public Private Partnerships to deliver impact in the nation’s offgrid, renewable energy space. The advantages in leveraging renewable energy for sustainable development is enormous, but to continue to tap into these advantages, we must collectively facilitate data-driven energy solutions.

I am happy that just like REA, the OANDO team understands the pivotal role of renewable energy especially in Post-subsidy Nigeria and how s as we can leverage the technology for e-mobility, energy access and productive use. As always, the Agency will continue to work in lockstep with state governments to enable us drill down the impact of REA programmes.

Through our consistent engagement with the Nigeria Governors Forum, we continue to work with Focal Persons across all state governments and I am delighted to report back that this strategy has really helped to strengthen the REA mandate, enabling the prompt delivery of projects nationwide.

We look forward to the promising results the REA - OANDO partnership will birth. As always, our goal at the REA is not just to alleviate energy poverty across the nation but to do so at a quick pace. This is why we have been able to deepen the agency’s project footprint across the nation in a few short years.