The Rural Electrification Agency has called for a unified and coordinated approach among government agencies, state governments, development partners, private-sector operators and other stakeholders to accelerate electricity access across Nigeria.
The Managing Director of the REA, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, made the call on Monday at the official relaunch of the Off-Grid Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Forum in Abuja.
Aliyu said greater coordination was necessary to address gaps and duplication in the off-grid electricity sector and ensure that available resources were deployed efficiently to reach unserved and underserved communities.
He said the forum would provide a platform for stakeholders to share information, coordinate programmes and develop a more integrated approach to expanding off-grid electricity infrastructure across the country.
The REA is the Federal Government agency responsible for providing electricity to unserved and underserved communities. Its mandate includes developing and implementing electrification projects, supporting private-sector participation and promoting renewable-energy solutions.
Aliyu’s call comes as the Federal Government continues to expand investment in distributed renewable energy and mini-grid projects. The REA recently commissioned a 581kWp interconnected solar mini-grid in Oke-Oyi, Kwara State, designed to provide reliable electricity to the community and support local economic activities.
The agency is also implementing the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up programme, which is designed to expand off-grid electricity through mini-grids and standalone solar systems. REA materials state that the programme targets improved electricity access for more than 17.5 million Nigerians and the deployment of over 11,000 mini-grids.
The need for coordinated action remains significant. According to the International Energy Agency, Nigeria’s electricity access rate rose from 56 per cent in 2014 to 71 per cent in 2024, but access remains uneven, with grid connection substantially lower in rural areas than in urban communities.
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