Key points
- Nasarawa State has signed an MoU with CAREC to conduct feasibility studies for solar power projects across selected locations.
- The proposed projects target five sites with a combined planned capacity of 15MW.
- The initiative aims to improve electricity supply, support agriculture, create jobs and strengthen food security.
- CAREC also plans integrated agrivoltaics, agro-processing hubs and waste-to-energy facilities.
Main story
The Nasarawa State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Combined Agriculture and Renewable Energy Company Ltd. (CAREC) to conduct feasibility studies for solar power generation projects across selected locations in the state.
The initiative is aimed at improving electricity supply, stimulating agricultural production, creating jobs and enhancing food security.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lafia on Tuesday, the Managing Director of the Nasarawa State Electricity Board (NASEB), Engr. Yakubu Suleiman, described the agreement as a major step in Governor Abdullahi Sule’s efforts to expand access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity.
Suleiman said the MoU provides the framework for CAREC to undertake comprehensive feasibility studies for solar projects in selected communities across the state’s three senatorial districts.
According to him, the studies will assess technical viability, solar resource availability, land suitability, community considerations and the scale of deployment required for each location.
“Today’s ceremony is not simply the exchange of signatures on a document. It represents a shared commitment between government and a capable private-sector partner to jointly explore the feasibility of solar power generation across selected locations in Nasarawa State.
“The focus is on how such power can support community livelihoods, agriculture and public institutions in the areas where it will be deployed,” he said.
Suleiman said the state government recognised that reliable electricity was fundamental to sustainable development, noting that it supports healthcare, education, business growth and agricultural value addition.
He added that the government had intensified engagement with renewable energy investors following CAREC’s proposal and the governor’s approval.
The proposed project sites include the Gudi Water Treatment Plant in Akwanga Local Government Area (6MW), the Faculty of Engineering at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (2MW), the Lafia Water Treatment Plant (2MW), the College of Health Science and Technology, Keffi (2MW), and the Doma Water Treatment Plant (3MW), representing a combined planned capacity of 15MW.
Suleiman assured the company of the board’s full institutional support to facilitate the successful completion of the feasibility studies.
Earlier, the Chairman of CAREC, Dr Inda Abdul, represented by the Executive Vice Chairman, Engr. Jatto Adams, commended the state government for the partnership and pledged the company’s commitment to delivering the project.
Adams said the initiative would include the development of integrated agrivoltaics power plants across the five locations, combining solar electricity generation with greenhouse farming for commercial vegetable production.
He added that the company planned to establish agro-processing hubs for rice, sorghum, maize, sesame, cassava and millet to promote value addition and employment.
According to him, CAREC also intends to develop waste-to-energy facilities in Doma and Lafia to convert agricultural waste into briquettes and compost, while establishing assembly plants for solar generators, inverters, electric vehicles, hospital beds and pharmaceutical products through joint ventures with international partners.
He assured the state government of the company’s commitment to project financing, local content development, capacity building, environmental sustainability and efficient operations.
Officials from the Nasarawa State Water Board, the College of Health Science and Technology, Keffi, and Nasarawa State University also commended the state government’s investment in improving electricity supply and supporting socio-economic development.
The issues
The project reflects growing efforts by subnational governments to leverage renewable energy to improve electricity access while integrating power generation with agriculture, water supply and industrial development.
What’s being said
“It represents a shared commitment between government and a capable private-sector partner to jointly explore the feasibility of solar power generation across selected locations in Nasarawa State.” — Yakubu Suleiman, Managing Director, Nasarawa State Electricity Board
What’s next
CAREC will begin feasibility studies to determine the technical, environmental and commercial viability of the proposed 15MW solar projects before any investment or construction decisions are made.
Bottom line
Nasarawa is positioning solar energy as a catalyst for broader economic development, using the feasibility studies to assess projects that combine electricity generation with agriculture, water infrastructure and industrial value chains.
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