Key points
- REA will install a 3.5MW solar power plant in Ambursa, Kebbi State.
- The project is expected to cost more than $11 million and be completed within eight months.
- About 1,500 households will benefit from the electricity project.
- Kebbi will also receive 5,000 solar streetlights, isolated solar systems and additional mini-grids.
Main story
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has announced plans to construct a 3.5-megawatt solar power plant in Ambursa, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, as part of efforts to expand electricity access in underserved communities.
The Managing Director of the agency, Dr Abba Abubakar-Aliyu, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Gov. Nasir Idris in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
He said the project, valued at more than $11 million, is expected to be completed within eight months and will supply electricity to more than 1,500 households in Ambursa and neighbouring communities.
Abubakar-Aliyu explained that the initiative forms part of the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme being implemented by the REA under the Federal Ministry of Power.
According to him, the Federal Government secured $750 million in World Bank funding for the programme to expand electricity access across Nigeria.
He said the programme targets 17.5 million Nigerians through the deployment of 1,300 mini-grids nationwide, with 250 of the systems designed to be interconnected with the national grid.
“Kebbi is one of the beneficiaries of the mega solar plants being established nationwide,” he said.
He explained that the Ambursa solar plant would be connected to the network of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) to improve electricity supply in the area.
According to him, the REA is providing about $6 million as subsidy for the project, while the technical partner, KELM-Elicoms, will contribute an additional $6 million towards its execution.
Beyond the solar plant, Abubakar-Aliyu said the agency would install 5,000 solar-powered streetlights equipped with battery storage to ensure continuous lighting even during periods without sunlight.
He added that isolated solar systems would also be deployed in communities outside the national grid, particularly in Bagudo, alongside the installation of an additional 15 mini-grids across the state.
The REA boss said prepaid electricity meters would be installed for all beneficiaries to eliminate estimated billing, while the project would also include an eight-kilometre electricity distribution network supported by battery storage facilities.
Responding, Gov. Nasir Idris welcomed the project and assured the agency of the Kebbi State Government’s full support to ensure its successful implementation.
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the agency’s rural electrification programme, noting that electricity distribution companies alone could not meet the country’s growing electricity needs.
The issues
Millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural communities, remain without reliable electricity. The Federal Government has increasingly turned to renewable energy projects, including solar mini-grids, to bridge the electricity access gap, reduce dependence on diesel-powered generation and improve energy supply in underserved areas.
What’s being said
“The project is aimed at providing electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians by deploying 1,300 mini-grids across the country.” — Abba Abubakar-Aliyu, Managing Director, REA
“We envisage that about 1,500 households along that line will have access to electricity.” — Abba Abubakar-Aliyu
What’s next
Construction of the Ambursa solar power plant is expected to commence under the Renewed Hope Energy initiative, with completion targeted within eight months alongside the rollout of mini-grids, solar streetlights and isolated renewable energy systems across Kebbi State.
Bottom line
The REA’s planned $11 million solar project is expected to improve electricity access for thousands of households in Kebbi while advancing the Federal Government’s broader rural electrification and renewable energy agenda.
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