FG to provide renewable energy for rural communities

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that the Federal Government would provide renewable source of power to at least one million households in rural communities not connected to the national grid.

He made this revelation at the Nigerian Renewable Energy Roundatable organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology in conjunction with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Narrating the success story of renewable energy in rural Wuna village in Gwagwalada local government area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which was unconnected to the national grid, got power through renewable energy initiative by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), the acting President said the government through the Rural Electrification Agency is developing an energy database that would show community locations and energy demand profiles, which in turn would save Solar Home System / Solar Mini grid providers time and money.

“In Wuna Village, where the inhabitants now have running water, with each home having four points of lights, and many women processing their millets with solar powered light according to him will soon be replicated in over one million rural settlements across the country. The government is doing 20,000 more homes in this first phase of this exercise and a Pay-as-you-go system to 20,000 households to provide access to lighting and electric power for small devices. The plan is to expand the Solar Home System program to one million households, creating a few more million jobs,” he said.

“The Federal government through the Rural Electrification Agency is developing an energy database that would show community locations and energy demand profiles, which in turn saves Solar Home System / Solar Mini grid providers time and money because we have already identified the communities beforehand. We are also championing the use of mobile money for solar home system payments,” he added.

“The Wuna home solar project is an example of how power can be creatively and aggressively provided to people by this pragmatic approach to energy mix. FG is convinced that renewable energy probably offers the most sustainable means of increasing energy access to those who have no electricity and have no immediate hope of being connected to the national grid.”