Over 70,000 Nigerians to benefit from GEF-funded mini-grids nationwide, says FG 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting this initiative in collaboration with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency.

The REA announced on Saturday in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it had signed grant agreements with 18 Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) to establish 23 new mini-grids across the country.

The move is aimed at improving access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy for underserved and off-grid communities.

The Africa Mini-Grids Program (AMP) is a multi-country initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy solutions in rural areas.

In Nigeria, the program is expected to drive economic growth, enhance energy security, and reduce carbon emissions.

According to REA, the selected RESCOs will deploy innovative renewable energy technologies, including solar hybrid mini-grids, to power homes, businesses, and public facilities. The project aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal energy access and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

“70,000+ Nigerians to be impacted as the Global Environment Facility (@theGEF), @UNDP and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Sign Grant Agreements with 18 Renewable Energy Service Companies, to Deliver 23 New Mini-Grids Nationwide through the GEF-Funded Africa Mini-Grids Program (AMP),” REA tweeted.

Key Objectives of the GEF-Funded Mini-Grids Program 

At the just-concluded Africa Energy Summit in Tanzania, President Bola Tinubu secured $70 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to fund mini-grid projects.

In November 2023, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) launched a control room center to monitor mini-grids in Nigeria. This center serves as a hub for overseeing and gathering data on off-grid electricity systems, ensuring efficient operation and management of smaller power networks that are not connected to the national grid.