In order to bring Electricity access to all corners of the country, the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, has urged the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to speed up its efforts. He has given the approval for the REA to work closely with the National Economic Council (NEC) to enlist the support of state governors in the mission to electrify communities across Nigeria. Following a presentation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on the National Electrification and Implementation Plan (NESIP) by a delegation from REA led by Managing Director/CEO Abba Aliyu, Shettima’s comments were shared on his X handle.
On the other hand, the REA has just received a $750 million grant from both the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support various electrification initiatives throughout Nigeria’s rural areas. During a meeting with the REA delegation, the VP, who also serves as Chairman of NEC, expressed gratitude, admiration, and respect towards them. He emphasised the importance of thinking creatively and ambitiously. The council and state governors pledged their full support. A significant highlight of the presentation was the connection between electricity access and financial inclusion.
More publicity is needed to promote the agency’s achievements.
Therefore, he is confident that they have a clear task ahead of them, and he can guarantee that they will collaborate closely with the agency to fulfil the Nigerian people’s desire for electricity access. The Vice President commended REA for its outstanding performance in various sectors and urged the agency to expand its efforts to bring electricity to more Nigerians. Also, he expressed disappointment in the agency’s lack of publicity and communication with the public regarding their initiatives to address the country’s electricity deficit.
He expressed concerns about the need for a restructuring of the PR management team, emphasising the importance of Nigerians being informed about their activities. In the past, Borno State received 5 megawatts from the grid, whereas now a single plant is producing 12 megawatts for the University of Maiduguri and the Teaching Hospital. Despite these accomplishments, they have failed to promote their achievements. He requested their media team capture the maximum attention in both Social Media and traditional media by being the most prominent voice.
All stakeholders must be involved in the process.
Shettima gave the go-ahead for the agency to join forces with NEC and state governors on the electrification initiative. He directed REA’s management to coordinate with Rukaiya El-Rufai, the Special Adviser to the President on NEC and Climate Change, to officially introduce the project at an upcoming NEC meeting. He emphasised the importance of gaining support from the governors in their efforts to electrify communities, stating that it is crucial for them to be on board with their proposals.
During his speech, Aliyu outlined four main sources of funding for the agency: the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the Electricity Market (involving surplus Revenue from the liquidator), and grants from partnerships with international development agencies funding models and concepts in the country. Before becoming the Managing Director, Aliyu oversaw the project management unit for a $550 million REA project funded by the World Bank and AfDB. He disclosed that the agency has now received approval for a $750 million grant, marking the start of the largest public sector-funded project and its implementation.
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Some notable electricity projects by the agency were highlighted, such as a 12-megawatt plant in Maiduguri that was almost finished and ready for commissioning in two months. The plant currently provides power to the University of Maiduguri and the Teaching Hospital, with future plans to expand service to the state’s water treatment facility. The agency’s new leadership is focusing on six key strategic areas, particularly the National Electrification and Strategic Implementation Plan (NESIP), to support the federal government’s Sustainable Energy vision. Moreover, they aim to improve collaboration among regional governments to carry out electrification initiatives throughout Nigeria effectively.