The Federal Government plans to add a combined 60.82 megawatts (MW) of solar-based electricity to Nigeria’s national grid as the country continues to face power shortages.
Solar projects across six states
- On Wednesday, the government began building a 13.92 megawatt-peak (MWp) interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid in Yobe State.
- Prior to the Yobe project, authorities had established 46.9MW of electricity infrastructure in five other states.
- Those completed schemes included a 20MW mini-grid in Egume, Kogi State; an 11.9MWp facility in Ogu-Bolo, Rivers State; and a 10MW plant in Kofare, Adamawa State.
- Additional renewable-energy developments were launched in Ambursa, Kebbi State, with a 3.5MW mini-grid, and in Pankshin, Plateau State, with a 1.5MW project.
Abba Abubakar Aliyu, managing director of the Rural Electrification Agency, said interconnected hybrid mini-grids are designed to operate smoothly alongside existing electricity-distribution systems.
He said the projects were intended to support business expansion, give young people more scope to develop new ideas, help farmers process a larger share of their output, improve healthcare delivery and strengthen local economies.
Nigeria has spent decades struggling to produce more than 6,000MW of electricity at peak capacity, despite having a population of over 250 million.
