Mini-Grid reforms shifting Nigeria’s off-grid power to utility-scale market -REA boss

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Abba Aliyu, managing director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has noted the ongoing structural transition in Nigeria’s off-grid electricity sector, from small-scale pilot projects to a bankable, utility-style market following key regulatory interventions by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Speaking in Abuja during a knowledge-exchange visit by the Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA), Aliyu said that the shift has paved the way for the construction of 48 interconnected mini-grid (IMG) sites across 19 states, cutting across 10 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).

Aliyu noted that the interconnected mini-grid projects cut across 10 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and are being rolled out as one unified programme under the Interconnected Mini-Grid (IMG) regulatory framework introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

According to Aliyu, the scheme is expected to deliver 252,505 new and improved electricity connections when completed, alongside 213.3 megawatts-peak (MWp) of solar photovoltaic capacity, 166.1 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage and 82.5 megawatts of peak load.