The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has signed multiple MOUs with key institutions and private sector partners, targeting over ₦500bn in commercial investments to expand renewable energy infrastructure across underserved communities.
The signing event was held in Abuja and attended by stakeholders from the security, agriculture, correctional services, banking and clean energy sectors.
REA’s managing director Abba Aliyu stressed that the agreements were practical roadmaps, not symbolic paperwork.
“We sign MOUs to create a structured approach for collaboration and measurable delivery,” Abba said, noting that the agency’s previous agreements had produced tangible results.
He cited the deployment of four smart police stations in partnership with the Police Trust Fund, the establishment of a renewable energy testing and simulation centre with Huawei, and the mobilisation of ₦100bn in private sector debt funding through First City Monument Bank for renewable energy service companies (RESCOs).
Abba also pointed to $20m in concessional debt secured from the International Finance Corporation for four RESCOs, as well as the NextGen programme, which has trained and placed 131 young Nigerians in renewable energy roles.
“Our target is to catalyse ₦500bn in three phases of commercial funding to accelerate renewable energy deployment nationwide,” Abba said.
He added that REA’s state-level engagements had led to MOUs with 13 sub-national governments, resulting in the construction of around 200 mini-grids across the country.
A key highlight of the event was a new partnership with the Nigeria Correctional Service to install mini-grids and clean energy systems in custodial facilities, starting with the service’s headquarters in Abuja. “With this partnership, REA has brought power and hope to more than 81,000 inmates nationwide,” said controller-general of corrections Sylvester Nwakuche.
REA executive director for technical services Umar Umar reported that the agency had deployed over 160MW of solar capacity, electrifying 1,650 communities, powering 1,000 healthcare centres and reaching more than 6 million Nigerians.
NIRSAL Plc managing director Sa’ad Hamidu added that the collaboration with REA would boost agricultural productivity by powering agribusiness clusters and providing credit risk guarantees for rural vendors and SMEs.
“Energy is life,” Hamidu said. “With over 60% of Nigeria’s population engaged in agriculture, rural electrification is central to economic growth.”