The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has announced that it spent more than N28.7 billion out of the N31.7 billion allocated to it in the 2023 appropriation on completing electrification projects nationwide.

REA’s managing director, Abba Aliyu, made this disclosure in Abuja on Monday while presenting the agency’s 2023 capital project implementation report.

Mr Aliyu said the agency completed projects worth more than N28.7 billion, with an additional N3.3 billion worth of projects still ongoing and expected to be completed within the next two months.

He highlighted that N6.3 billion was spent on connecting communities to the national grid, focusing on grid extension and transformer deployment.

Mr Aliyu said REA spent N131 million on deploying solar home systems, N227 million on consultancy services, and N446 million on mini-grids to electrify electric vehicles across the six geopolitical zones.

He said the agency also invested N626 million in deploying mini-grids to enhance electric vehicle deployment and energise agricultural clusters, as well as N499 million on solar street lights to improve security in areas facing challenges.

Mr Aliyu noted that REA spent N2.02 billion on deploying solar irrigation pumps to thousands of farmers across the country, enhancing farming activities.

He emphasised that the agency’s projects covered all six geopolitical zones, 36 states, and the FCT, with no state left unattended.

Umar Abdullahi, executive director, technical services, REA, stated that the agency had sustained its efforts in enhancing socio-economic activities in beneficiary communities, optimising the deployment of solar-powered irrigation pumps, solar home systems, and solar street lights.

He highlighted that over 330 kilowatts peak (kWp) capacity of sustainable energy had been deployed through mini-grid technology, impacting over 1.4 million unserved and underserved Nigerians.

(NAN)