The Rural Electrification Agency said it completed and deployed over 200 mini-grids under the Nigeria Electrification Project, providing electricity to underserved communities nationwide between January and December.

The REA managing director, Abba Abubakar-Aliyu, disclosed this during a media briefing in Kano while reviewing the agency’s achievements in 2025.

He said that the completion of the NEP marked a major milestone in efforts to bridge Nigeria’s electricity access gap and improve the reliability of power supply in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed.

Mr Abubakar-Aliyu said REA recorded significant achievements in renewable energy deployment within the year under review.

He said that the implementation of the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up project, approved by the president, will deploy 1,350 mini-grids to provide electricity to 17.5 million Nigerians.

He explained that the DARES project aims to deploy 1,350 mini-grids nationwide, including 250 interconnected mini-grids.

“We are currently building over 900 mini grids across the country; our target is to build 1,350,” he said.

The REA boss said that the agency engaged 21 states through state-by-state roundtable meetings, describing it as an unprecedented initiative that provided states with data, partnership frameworks, and details of ongoing electrification projects.

According to him, REA also completed a nationwide electrification mapping exercise, identifying over 150,000 communities without electricity or with an unreliable supply, to enable the adoption of the least-cost electrification solution.

“REA also completed 15 mega hybrid mini-grid projects in federal universities and commenced project development in eight additional universities expected to be completed by March or April 2026,” he said.

He added that the agency promoted localisation of renewable energy manufacturing, thereby increasing Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity from about 120 megawatts to over 600 megawatts.

According to him, investments worth over $435 million have been signed for new renewable energy manufacturing plants in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Kano, and Abuja.

He noted that Nigeria had begun exporting manufactured solar panels to Ghana, following a reduction in the importation of finished photovoltaic panels.

“In 2026, the agency would focus on completing the 1,350 mini-grids under the DARES project. We are looking at galvanising more funds. The country requires about 23 billion dollars to be able to address the entire electricity access challenge,” he said.

Mr Abubakar-Aliyu also reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable power supply for rural and underserved communities.

(NAN)