- The Nigerian government has launched a £17.9 million off-grid electricity project, funded by the EU and Germany, to provide electricity access to 100 million citizens without power.
- The initiative aims to generate 400 megawatts of renewable energy, which would impact at least five million people in rural communities.
The Nigerian government has announced a £17.9 million off-grid electricity project, funded by the European Union and the German government, to address the country’s persistent power outages. Mahmuda Mamman, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, announced the 3rd Phase of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme event held in Abuja.
Mamman highlighted that the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to provide electricity to the approximately 100 million Nigerians without access. He emphasised the importance of renewable energy in meeting the electricity needs of unserved rural communities. “This third phase follows the successes of the first two phases, which significantly improved electricity access in rural areas,” he noted.
Inga Stefanowicz, the Head of the Section for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria, stated that the project aims to benefit at least five million Nigerians and contribute an additional 400 megawatts to the national electricity supply. She mentioned the focus on solar installations for health facilities and collaboration with state governments.
The EU has allocated a total of £54 million across the project’s phases: £15 million for the first phase, £30 million for the second, and £9 million for the third.
Johannes Lehne, the Deputy Ambassador of Germany, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s energy transition. Duke Benjamin, the Head of the Programme for NESP, added that the initiative, which began in 2013, will extend electricity access to rural communities not connected to the national grid.
In 2024 alone, Nigeria’s national grid has experienced at least eight collapses, and with a population exceeding 250 million, the country generates only 5,000 megawatts of electricity.