- Minister of Power noted that Renewable Energy has massive potential to lead the nation out of energy poverty.
- The project is designed to boost electricity for households, commercial enterprises, and public institutions.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has inaugurated the regional off-grid electricity access project (ROGEAP). Minister of power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu attended the project inauguration in Abuja. He noted that the adoption of renewable energy would enhance national energy security and reduce poverty in the country.
The ROGEAP project is designed to boost electricity for households, commercial enterprises, and public institutions. It is to be carried out through stand-alone solar photovoltaic systems in West Africa and four countries of the Sahel regions.
Aliyu said the ROGEAP project had been designed to provide solutions to improve the living conditions of the populace. The minister, who was represented by Ali-Dapshima Abubakar, director, renewable and rural power access, ministry of power, said renewable energy was locally available and could be used for heating purposes and supply of electricity. “It helps to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, enhance national energy security, reduce oil import bills, thereby reducing poverty,” he said.
Aliyu said the ministry had collaborated with the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) on implementing the ROGEP project. “ROGEP, as conceived, entails the development of Solar Home Systems (SHS) to rural areas by providing developers with soft loans funded by the World Bank,” he said. “The loans are to be issued by World Bank through intermediary banks and the interest to be borne by the project developers.”