The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), on Monday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deploy renewable energy infrastructure and training centres across custodial centres nationwide.

Speaking during the event in Abuja, the controller general of NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, said the MoU signified more than just infrastructure provision.

Mr Nwakuche said it also represented hope and a second chance for over 81,000 inmates in correctional centres across Nigeria.

He said the partnership, themed “Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Energy Access and Socio-Economic Development,” was aimed at improving the quality of life for inmates.

The controller general also said the essence was to enhance rehabilitation through access to electricity and promote sustainable development within correctional facilities.

“We are not just signing an MoU today. We are leveraging a collaboration that will provide renewable energy, support rehabilitation, and enhance vocational training within our facilities,” he said.

Mr Nwakuche thanked REA for extending support to inmates who were often excluded from national development priorities.

In his presentation, the REA’s managing director and CEO, Abba Aliyu, emphasised that the agency signs MoUs as a commitment to action and accountability.

Mr Aliyu cited previous MoUs signed by REA that have yielded concrete results, including collaborations with Huawei to establish Nigeria’s first Testing and Simulation Centre.

He said this included over 20 renewable energy service companies to catalyse equity and debt financing.

“We have catalysed over N100 billion in debt financing from First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and secured $20 million in debt financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC),” he said.

Mr Aliyu said the MoU with NCoS represented a unique opportunity to extend similar gains to correctional institutions, which have historically been excluded from energy development.

He said the new partnership would involve the deployment of renewable mini-grids in correctional facilities and the establishment of renewable training centres within custodial communities.

He acknowledged that the NCoS had already partnered with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to make educational programmes accessible to inmates.

“Such efforts cannot succeed without electricity. This is because these courses are all online, and without electricity, it is not possible to achieve that.

“We are going to replicate what we did with the Police Trust Fund, only this time in correctional institutions. It’s not just about lighting up the space, but enabling transformation,“ he added.

In his opening remarks, the executive director of technical services of the REA, Umar Umar, noted that the agreements represented a shared vision to improve energy access in ways that aligned with Nigeria’s development agenda.

He stated that the REA currently implements projects in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with more than 160MW of off-grid solar capacity deployed.

Mr Umar said this included electrifying over 1,650 communities, powering more than 1,000 healthcare centres, and connecting over 6 million Nigerians.

He expressed optimism that the collaboration would lead to long-lasting change. He reaffirmed REA’s commitment to working hand in hand with stakeholders to deliver scalable and sustainable energy solutions for all Nigerians.

Dignitaries present at the signing included the managing director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the controller general of NCoS, among others.

(NAN)