- UNDP and REA partnered to accelerate clean energy transition through innovation, skills development, state-level reforms, financing, and public engagement.
- They said the collaboration will expand renewable access, empower youth, boost local manufacturing, and position Nigeria as a regional clean energy hub.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) signed an agreement to accelerate the country’s clean energy transition, boost innovation, and train a new generation of professionals for a future-ready energy sector.
In a statement on Friday, August 15, REA said that the agreement, formalised at a ceremony in Abuja, rests on five pillars: energising education and innovation, scaling skills development, supporting state-level policy reforms, unlocking innovative financing, and advancing research and public engagement.
Furthermore, REA Managing Director Abba Aliyu hailed the partnership as “a game-changer” for Nigeria’s renewable energy ambitions. He said the initiative builds on federal programmes to scale renewable energy, strengthens local content and manufacturing, and attracts sustainable investment.
“We aim to position Nigeria as a renewable energy hub, reduce governance costs, and catalyse innovation, research and development,” Aliyu said. He stressed that clean energy growth requires practical strategies in local content, domestic manufacturing, and innovative finance.
UNDP Resident Representative Elsie G. Attafuah described the collaboration as a bold step toward a sustainable and prosperous Nigeria. “Our partnership will not only expand access to clean energy but also drive innovation, youth empowerment, and job creation,” she said. “We are moving beyond simply powering communities to igniting their full potential.”
She urged Nigeria to process natural resources such as lithium into value-added renewable products like battery systems, while embedding research and innovation in universities to create green jobs.
The agreement integrates UNDP’s University Innovation Pods and Maker Spaces into REA’s Energising Education Programme, transforming federal universities and teaching hospitals into hubs of practical innovation. It also scales REA’s NEXTGEN initiative to train new clean energy professionals, create a national talent pipeline, and address youth unemployment.
UNDP and REA will provide policy and technical support to states to implement the Electricity Act and harmonise energy policies. They will also use blended finance models to de-risk renewable energy projects, attract private capital, and strengthen the Rural Electrification Fund.
The partners committed to producing robust energy data and running public engagement campaigns to secure policy support and consumer adoption of clean energy.
Both agencies expressed optimism that the collaboration would accelerate Nigeria’s path toward universal access to clean energy and a greener economy.