Dr. Abba Aliyu

When I attended the Jigawa Investment Summit in July, we discussed how electricity could support the state’s investment ambitions, including through an MOU on agro industrial clusters between the Jigawa State Government, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, the REA and Astound Power Limited. I am encouraged to share a practical update from Taura, where three communities are closer to putting that opportunity to work.

Maxtech Energy LTD has deployed 490kWp of renewable energy infrastructure across Maiyadiya, Nahuce and Zangon Maje in Taura Local Government Area. The projects comprise 200kWp in Maiyadiya, 140kWp in Nahuce and 150kWp in Zangon Maje, with provision for 3,726 electricity connections.

These isolated mini grids are being delivered through the Performance Based Grant window of DARES, our World Bank supported programme to expand renewable energy access. This approach brings public support and private investment together to serve communities that need reliable power.

For me, the real significance is what this electricity can enable in Taura. We want farmers to process more of their produce locally, businesses to operate more efficiently and families to experience the opportunities that dependable electricity brings.

The Taura projects form part of our wider commitment to Jigawa, where 33 mini grid projects are ongoing with a combined planned capacity of 10.651MWp. Another 65 projects, representing 22MWp, remain in the pipeline.

I appreciate Maxtech Energy LTD, the World Bank, the Jigawa State Government, our REA team and the leaders and residents of these three communities for their contributions.

Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we will continue fulfilling our federal mandate to bridge the electricity access gap, with each project focused on creating lasting value for the people it serves.

#JigawaState #Taura #DARES #EnergyAccess #MiniGrids #RenewedHopeAgenda #abbaaliyu

What I value most about our partnership with the African Development Bank is how it connects investment to the things people need to move forward. A student needs dependable power to study. A farmer needs equipment to process produce. A business needs electricity it can afford and rely on.

Over the years, the REA and AfDB have worked together through the $200 million Nigeria Electrification Project to expand renewable energy access, support private developers and strengthen productive uses of electricity.

Education is an important part of that work. AfDB is financing Phase Three of the Energising Education Programme, covering eight federal universities. Alongside reliable power for teaching and research, the programme supports practical training and opportunities for women in STEM.

At the Federal University of Lafia, the recently commissioned 1.6MW solar hybrid plant brings this purpose to life. The university reports monthly electricity savings of ₦30 million, while students like Raimat Abdullahi are already describing what longer study hours mean to them.

Across Musha, Kyakale, Ogufa, Tunga and Umaisha in Nasarawa State, our partnership has also supported 1.15MW of solar hybrid mini grid capacity. Electric motorcycles, tricycles, freezers and grinding machines bring productive opportunities alongside the electricity infrastructure.

For me, these investments belong to the same story. Better learning conditions build human capital. Reliable power and productive equipment help businesses grow. Together, they create a stronger foundation for local economies.

I sincerely appreciate AfDB for its continued partnership, our developers and contractors, state governments, host institutions and communities, and the REA team. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we will keep working together to ensure these investments deliver lasting value.

#AfDB #REA #EnergyAccess #EnergisingEducation #ProductiveUseOfEnergy #RenewedHopeAgenda #abbaaliyu

I have always believed that the value of electricity access is seen in what happens after power arrives. Can a farmer process more produce? Can a trader preserve her goods and earn more? Can young people build businesses within their communities?

Our commissioning of 1.15MW of solar hybrid mini grid capacity across Musha, Kyakale, Ogufa, Tunga and Umaisha in Nasarawa State brings that purpose into focus.

Working with the African Development Bank, we are connecting development financing to electricity services and the tools people need to become more productive. AfDB has been a critical partner in our renewable energy journey, helping us link energy access with private investment and sustainable livelihoods.

At the commissioning, ACOB Lighting Technology Limited also unveiled electric motorcycles, electric tricycles, chest freezers and grinding machines. These can support transportation, preserve perishable goods and bring agricultural processing closer to farms, keeping more value within the communities.

Productive use also matters to the sustainability of these systems. When businesses grow, they can strengthen demand for electricity and their ability to pay for reliable service. That helps mini grids remain commercially viable and serve their communities over time.

What does 1.6MW mean for Nigeria’s future? For me, it means students studying without interruption, researchers completing experiments and young engineers learning the technologies that will shape our energy economy.

At the Federal University of Lafia, we commissioned a 1.6MW solar hybrid power plant under the Energising Education Programme, supported by the African Development Bank. It is one of eight university projects under EEP Phase Three.

This is part of a wider national effort. Recent groundbreakings in Adamawa, Yobe, Plateau, Rivers, Oyo and Zamfara, alongside commissioning milestones in Gombe and Nasarawa, reflect our commitment to making electricity a foundation for economic opportunity.

I am grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT and the Honourable Minister of Power @JosephOTegbe for their leadership as we translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into practical investments.

Agriculture sustains much of Zamfara’s population, yet farmers continue to face security challenges, poverty and a changing climate. The State Government’s push towards mechanisation and infrastructure renewal makes reliable electricity an important part of that effort to strengthen food production and create economic opportunities. My visit reinforced why we cannot work in silos, especially where security challenges remain serious and progress depends on federal and state institutions working together.

I joined the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, and Governor Dauda Lawal for engagements connecting electricity policy, infrastructure, public services and cleaner transportation.

Through the REA, we flagged off 37 mini grid projects comprising two interconnected and 35 isolated systems. Together, they represent approximately 18.8MWp of solar capacity and 125,106 planned electricity connections across Gummi, Gusau, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Shinkafi, Tsafe and Zurmi LGAs.

Alongside this, the State Government unveiled its Electricity Policy, an important foundation for attracting investment and sustaining reliable service. We also signed a collaboration agreement to advance the solarisation of public institutions, including healthcare and educational facilities.