- ENGIE Energy Access has commissioned 15 solar mini-grids across Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa states.
- ENGIE added that the financing model, rare for mini-grids, spreads risk and secures long-term operations through private sector involvement.
ENGIE Energy Access has commissioned 15 solar mini-grids across Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa states in Nigeria. With a combined capacity of 1.4 megawatts, these grids will deliver clean electricity to 30,000 people in rural homes and businesses.
This rollout follows a $60 million financing deal signed with CrossBoundary Energy Access (CBEA). Under the agreement, CBEA finances the mini-grids while ENGIE builds and operates them. ENGIE said this partnership ensures sustainable power supply for communities still living without grid electricity in Nigeria, where over 85 million people remain off-grid.
The project also aims to replace diesel generators, cutting over 33,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The initiative, supported by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), highlights how public-private partnerships can accelerate rural electrification in Nigeria.
ENGIE added that the financing model, rare for mini-grids, spreads risk and secures long-term operations through private sector involvement.
ENGIE noted that it is responsible for constructing and operating the mini-grids, ensuring long-term, sustainable power for rural communities.
The benefits are already tangible — women are accessing energy for the first time and stepping into entrepreneurship; productive-use appliances are powering local businesses and strengthening rural economies; and by shifting communities from diesel generators to solar-powered mini-grids, ENGIE emphasised the positive impact.
The company stated that it is building infrastructure rooted in and driven by the communities it serves, with local clinics keeping vaccines cold and providing care after dark, schools extending learning hours, and the recruitment and training of local talent being prioritised.
ENGIE Energy Access highlighted its alignment with delivering on SDG7 and unlocking much-needed opportunities.
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