- Eight energy developers emerged winners of the REA grants.
- It is being funded by the EU and the German Government.
- A total of 24 mini-grids are expected to come online.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has awarded grants to eight local solar mini-grid developers under the Mini-Grid/Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (I)MAS. The scheme operates within the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) framework with financial and technical support from the European Union and the German Government.
Developers were selected through a competitive process. The (I)MAS grants encourage more solar mini-grid projects in Nigeria and facilitate access to reliable and affordable electricity, especially in the unserved and underserved areas of the country.
At the Grant Agreement Sign Off ceremony held in Abuja, Goddy Jedy-Agba, minister of state for power, commended the programme. He said, “through this programme, more communities across the country will be electrified. The Federal Ministry of Power is always open to opportunities that will achieve the acceleration of electrification in Nigeria. The Federal Government of Nigeria is appreciative of the support from Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) towards providing reliable electricity in Nigeria.”
Ahmad Salihijo, managing director and chief executive officer of REA, underlined the relevance of the grant support to the development of solar mini-grid projects in Nigeria. According to him, “the objective of the grant support is to facilitate the (I)MAS solar mini-grid projects to ensure increase in rural access to reliable and affordable electricity. As contained in the agreement, the cost of the grant assets will not be included in the cost of development in order to achieve affordable and appropriate electricity tariffs for those in the rural and peri-urban areas where these projects will be implemented.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, Inga Stefanowicz, head of section, green economy, at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, noted that “the EU’s financial support for (I)MAS represents the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in the efforts to enable more investments in the solar mini-grid sector.”
Depending on the ability of the private sector, between 18 to 24 solar mini-grid projects will be deployed in 2022 under the (I)MAS project, serving clean electricity to around 138,000 people in Nigeria. Emerged winners are: A4&T Power Solutions, ACOB Lighting Technology Ltd, Darway Coast, GVE Projects Limited, Havenhill Synergy Ltd, NAYO Tropical Technology Ltd, Sosai Renewable Energies Company, and Rubitec Solar Ltd.