The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a strategic agreement to speed up Nigeria’s clean energy transition, boost innovation, and train a new generation of renewable energy professionals.
Announcing the partnership on Friday, the REA said the Abuja signing ceremony established five focus areas: energising education and innovation, scaling skills development, supporting state-level policy reforms, unlocking innovative financing, and advancing research and public engagement.
REA Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, described the deal as a “game-changer” for Nigeria’s renewable energy ambitions, adding that it would expand local manufacturing, strengthen investment, and reduce governance costs.
UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie G. Attafuah, said the collaboration would go beyond powering communities to “igniting their full potential” through clean energy access, youth empowerment, and job creation. She highlighted opportunities to process Nigeria’s resources, such as lithium, into renewable energy products, and embed innovation in learning institutions.
Under the deal, UNDP’s University Innovation Pods and Maker Spaces will be integrated into REA’s Energising Education Programme to transform universities and teaching hospitals into innovation hubs. The initiative will also scale REA’s NEXTGEN programme to train clean energy professionals, support states in implementing the Electricity Act, and leverage blended finance to attract private capital into the sector.
Both agencies expressed confidence that the partnership will fast-track Nigeria’s journey to universal clean energy access and a greener economy.
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