Key points
- REA has commissioned two solar mini-grids in Ondo State under the DARES Programme.
- The projects provide clean electricity to 1,490 homes and businesses.
- The mini-grids were developed by Protergia Energy.
- REA says the projects support Nigeria’s universal electricity access and net-zero targets.
Main story
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has expanded electricity access in Ondo State with the energisation of two solar mini-grids under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) Programme.
The projects, located in Ala Elefosan and Ala Goke communities, were developed by Protergia Energy and comprise 234kWp and 120kWp solar mini-grids.
According to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of REA, Dr Abba Aliyu, the projects have provided reliable, clean electricity to an additional 1,490 homes and businesses.
Aliyu said the installations represent more than additional generation capacity, noting that improved electricity access would stimulate business growth, enhance education, strengthen healthcare delivery and support local economic development.
“Every single day, somewhere in Nigeria, another community moves from waiting for electricity to living with it. That is what keeps us going,” he said.
He said the agency remained committed to ensuring that no community was left behind in Nigeria’s energy transition.
According to him, every new mini-grid deployment moves the country closer to its national targets of achieving universal electricity access by 2030, expanding electricity generation to 30,000 megawatts and attaining net-zero emissions by 2060.
Aliyu commended Protergia Energy, development partners and other stakeholders for supporting the implementation of renewable energy projects across the country.
The issues
Nigeria continues to rely on solar mini-grids to extend electricity to underserved and unserved communities where grid expansion is either uneconomical or technically challenging. The DARES Programme is one of the Federal Government’s flagship initiatives to accelerate rural electrification through distributed renewable energy solutions.
What’s being said
“Every kilowatt we deploy represents new opportunities for businesses to grow, students to learn, healthcare to improve, and local economies to thrive.” — Dr Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO, Rural Electrification Agency
What’s next
REA is expected to continue deploying solar mini-grids and other distributed renewable energy systems under the DARES Programme as part of efforts to expand electricity access nationwide.
Bottom line
The commissioning of two new solar mini-grids in Ondo State extends clean electricity to nearly 1,500 additional homes and businesses, reinforcing REA’s strategy of using distributed renewable energy to bridge Nigeria’s electricity access gap.
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