The Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) is working towards its target of ensuring an additional 500 000 people have access to electricity.

Run by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the project has received a US$200 million investment from the AfDB and the Africa Growing Together Fund [a co-financing effort by the AfDB and People’s Bank of China], which will be used to increase installed power by 76.5 MW. Of this, 68 MW will be solar.

Unreliable electricity supply at eight universities will also be improved, and 150 female students will receive training in renewable-energy solutions.

The NEP is a federal government initiative implemented by the REA and forms part of the country’s 2030 goal of universal energy access. It focuses on the installation of solar hybrid mini-grids, increasing energy access in the education sector, and providing technical assistance in rural-electrification upscaling.

The project commissioned its first solar mini-grid in Niger State late last year. The 63 kW solar hybrid mini-grid, with 360 kWh of battery storage, supplies power to around 3 000 people.

24 March 2020
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