Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has flagged off the development of 37 solar mini-grid projects with approximately 18.8 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar generation capacity in Zamfara State.

The projects comprise two interconnected and 35 isolated mini-grids expected to provide 125,106 electricity connections across Gummi, Gusau, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Shinkafi, Tsafe and Zurmi Local Government Areas.

The groundbreaking ceremony also featured the unveiling of the Zamfara State Electricity Policy and the signing of a collaboration agreement between the REA and the state government to solarise public institutions.

Governor Dauda Lawal described the developments as important steps towards strengthening the state’s electricity market and supporting economic growth.

“Today, we are taking deliberate steps to redefine Zamfara’s electricity future. The unveiling of our State Electricity Policy is a statement of our intention to build a structured, investment-friendly and sustainable electricity market that responds to the needs of our people and the ambitions of our economy.”

He highlighted electricity’s importance to essential sectors and economic activities.

“We recognise that reliable electricity is indispensable to agricultural transformation, industrial development, healthcare delivery, education and job creation.”

“Our collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency on the solarisation of public institutions reflects our determination to translate policy into practical infrastructure that improves the delivery of essential services.”

The governor added that renewable energy would support enterprise development and investment while providing communities with affordable and reliable electricity.

“Our objective is to create an electricity ecosystem in which government provides the enabling environment, private investors bring capital and innovation, and our communities benefit from reliable and affordable electricity.”

The Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding electricity access under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The unveiling of the Zamfara State Electricity Policy, the groundbreaking of new mini-grid infrastructure and the commissioning of renewable energy projects demonstrate how policy reforms can be translated into practical development outcomes.”

He emphasised the need for electricity infrastructure to support public services, businesses and agricultural productivity.

“Electricity must do more than illuminate homes. It must power hospitals, strengthen educational institutions, support agricultural productivity, enable businesses and improve the quality of public services.”

Tegbe reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support for states developing their electricity markets and attracting sustainable private investment.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, described the intervention as an integrated approach to electricity development, combining infrastructure, policy reforms, institutional electrification and private-sector participation.

“Today, Zamfara is doing something fundamentally important. We are moving beyond the traditional approach of treating electricity access as a series of isolated infrastructure projects towards building an integrated electricity economy supported by policy, investment, institutions and sustainable market structures.”

Aliyu confirmed that the 37 mini-grids would deliver approximately 18.8MWp of solar capacity and 125,106 planned connections across seven local government areas.

“At an illustrative average of five people per household-equivalent connection, this represents a potential reach of more than 625,000 people, subject to the actual mix of household, commercial and institutional connections.”

He said the projects could strengthen businesses, agricultural value chains, employment opportunities and public services.

Aliyu also stressed that electricity infrastructure requires effective policies, commercially viable tariffs, credible regulation and predictable investment conditions to remain sustainable.

The REA chief executive explained that the agreement with the Zamfara Government would demonstrate how renewable energy could reduce operating costs and improve electricity supply to hospitals, schools and other public facilities.

He added that such institutions could provide anchor demand for electricity investments, improving project bankability and supporting power distribution to surrounding communities and businesses.

Placing the initiative within the agency’s national strategy, Aliyu highlighted the $750 million World Bank-supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme.

“Under the $750 million World Bank-supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, our national ambition is to expand electricity access to approximately 17.5 million Nigerians, while supporting the development of around 1,350 mini-grids and scaling distributed renewable energy solutions.”

He said Zamfara’s intervention demonstrates how government policies, public investment and private capital can work together to establish sustainable electricity markets.

“Our ultimate ambition is not simply to connect Zamfara to electricity. It is to connect Zamfara’s people, businesses and institutions to a new economy of productivity, investment and opportunity. That is the real measure of success, and that is the transformation we are committed to delivering,” Aliyu said.

Electricity and clean transportation projects commissioned

The Zamfara State Electricity Policy is expected to guide market development, institutional coordination and private-sector participation, particularly following the opportunities created for state electricity markets under the Electricity Act 2023.

At the event, the Power Minister also commissioned two solar mini-grid projects developed by the Zamfara State Government.

These include a 1MW solar mini-grid at Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital and a 1.2MW facility serving the Zamfara State Government House. Together, the projects provide 2.2MW of commissioned solar generation capacity, supported by over 3MW of battery storage.

The state also unveiled 100 ZamTaxi electric vehicles and 10 electric tricycles dedicated to maternal healthcare transportation, particularly for pregnant women and mothers.

Additionally, two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses donated by the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) were unveiled to support the adoption of alternative transportation fuels.

The REA said it would continue working with the Zamfara Government through technical support, project development and private-sector engagement, with emphasis on commercially sustainable electricity infrastructure.

The initiative is expected to strengthen electricity access, support economic productivity and provide financing and implementation models that could be replicated in other Nigerian states.

SOURCE: Blueprint