REA plans to leverage mini-grids to increase access to energy

By Innocent Obasi

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has officially launched the Africa Minigrids Programme (AMP), a new United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, funded by the Global Environment Facility, and in partnership with African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

AMP aims to increase the commercial viability of renewable energy mini-grids and scale up investments in decentralized renewable energy solutions in Africa. With a specific focus on early-stage mini-grid markets, AMP seeks to create favourable conditions for future large-scale private investment.

REA plans to leverage AMP and also complete part of the 1,994 abandoned rural electrification projects scattered across the country.

Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, managing director/chief executive officer of REA, disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos.

He, however, said the agency would not be able to complete all the 1,994 abandoned projects because of a lack of funding and the destruction of power assets.

The 1,994 unfinished projects, some of which date back to 2013, according to Ahmad, were legacy projects that were handed to REA when it was carved out from the Ministry of Power.

Chinedu Nebo, a former minister of power, had said at the time that there were approximately 1,994 unfinished rural electrification projects nationwide.

Ahmed said the REA was formerly a department within the Ministry of Power and that all projects started under the department have since been transferred to the new agency, which has been upgraded to a full-fledged agency.

The REA managing director acknowledged the existence of 1,994 abandoned projects and said that this was a part of his first intervention upon assumption of office more than two years ago.