A new United Nations report has praised Nigeria for making major progress in widening dependable electricity access at lower cost through innovative subsidy mechanisms and targeted off-grid programmes, reaching more than 5 million people and generating over 5,000 green jobs.
The findings, set out in the UN’s World Social Report 2026: The New Economics of Social Inclusion, point to the role of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in bringing modern energy services to communities across Nigeria that had been underserved or had no access to electricity.
The report also highlighted Nigeria and Ghana as leaders in agrivoltaics initiatives, which combine solar-power systems with active agricultural land.
Under this approach, communities can improve food production and electricity supply at the same time, effectively using the same farmland to capture solar energy while maintaining or enhancing agricultural output.
The UN identified the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) as an example of effective policy, saying subsidies for rural mini-grids have materially reduced consumer tariffs for vulnerable households while attracting significant private-sector investment.
The programme has enabled the installation of 125 mini-grids and supported the delivery of more than one million Solar Home Systems, the report said.
“More than 5 million Nigerians have gained reliable electricity through these measures, supported by focused subsidies, lifeline pricing and pay-as-you-go financing arrangements intended to preserve affordability over the long term and broaden access,” the report said.
The UN said focused subsidies and tiered pricing systems are still central to a fair energy transition. Developing economies can obtain strong investment returns, narrow gaps in electricity access and encourage local businesses by giving priority to energy efficiency and off-grid technologies in lower-income communities.
Abba Aliyu, managing director and chief executive of the REA, said the international recognition confirmed the agency’s view that rural electrification should not be judged simply by the number of megawatts deployed.
“It means creating an energy ecosystem that increases economic output and improves people’s livelihoods,” he said.
Aliyu also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for backing what he described as the largest publicly financed renewable-energy portfolio globally. He said the agency has facilitated more than 1,000 mini-grid installations across Nigeria.
He said the REA’s broader presence is supporting agro-processing, raising farm productivity and reinforcing food security through electricity for irrigation, cold-chain storage and small-scale rural industries.
Aliyu pointed to the recently commissioned 1MW mini-grid in Gombe State as an illustration of the agency’s work to extend power supply and underpin economic activity in rural areas.
