Kitu nimeshangaa leo ni kuwa minister wa Tanzania amewekea Nigeria kitu yenye hata hao wenyewe hawajui 😂 😂 😂
ichoboy01 did you say Nigeria had 72% rural electrification?🤣🤣🤣
The weekend read: Expand and connect
Almost 60% of Nigeria’s population currently has access to electricity. But this breaks down as 78% in cities and urban areas, and just 39% in rural communities. The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), established by the government as part of electricity sector reforms in 2005, is tasked with bridging this gap and bringing reliable energy supply to the most remote parts of Nigeria.
pv magazine spoke with REA CEO Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad about the organization’s strategy and recent progress, as well as the challenges that remain for rural electrification in Nigeria and the role of PV technology.
JULY 18, 2020
MARK HUTCHINS
This 7.1 MW solar hybrid power plant was developed by REA under the World Bank-supported Nigeria Electrification Project. The project powers a work and training center at Bayero University in Kano.
Image: REA Nigeria
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From pv magazine 07/2020
Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, MD/CEO of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency. The organization, which was set up in 2005, aims to expand energy access in unserved and underserved rural communities.
Photo: REA Nigeria
How is rural electrification progressing in Nigeria? I see REA published a target to reach 60% rural electrification and connect 1.1 million households annually by 2020 – do you expect to achieve this?
REA has installed significant grid infrastructure to support licensed distribution companies in meeting their expansion plans in rural communities. To supplement the grid expansion projects, REA, through its Rural Electrification Fund and the Nigeria Electrification Project, has secured investment funds and partnered with the private sector toward rapidly connecting millions of households and businesses through the development of minigrids, power plants, and the deployment of standalone systems.
REA has achieved significant progress in providing rural electrification, with 103,500 villages connections as of December 2019. Reaching the 60% rural electrification target however, has been prevented by a number of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, access to sufficient funds, and the need to adhere to due process – like obtaining essential regulatory approvals. With new management on board and a new line up of impactful projects in the pipeline, REA now expects to exceed the goals previously set.
How does rural electrification fit in with Nigeria’s broader energy strategy?
Only 58% of Nigerians have access to electricity, with 78% access in urban areas and 39% in rural areas. Furthermore, an estimated 80% of those with access also use an alternative source of electricity supply, mostly diesel generators, due to reliability concerns. Nigeria currently has available grid power hovering around 4,000 MW for over 190 million people. It is estimated that the Nigerian economy loses $29.3 billion annually due to a lack of adequate power supply, and is estimated to have lost $470 billion in GDP since 2000 due to under-investment in power infrastructure.