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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
After 17 years without electricity, residents of Tallasse and other communities in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State have regained access to power, with the commissioning of a 1-megawatt (MW) solar mini-grid backed by a 2.4-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery storage system.
The project, delivered by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in partnership with the Gombe State Government and a private developer, is expected to transform economic activities in the area by powering homes, farms, markets and small businesses.
Already serving 6,028 connections, the Tallasse facility comes equipped with electric-powered groundnut oil processing, rice milling and flour grinding facilities, alongside electric tricycles, positioning the intervention as more than a household electrification project.
The commissioning at the weekend also marked the flag-off of a wider 16MW programme involving four interconnected solar mini-grids across Dukku, Bajoga, Kumo and Kaltungo communities, extending the push for more reliable electricity supply across Gombe State.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, described the Tallasse project as the beginning of a new chapter for a community that had endured 17 years without electricity.
He said the intervention reflected the Federal Government’s drive to expand access to electricity through renewable energy, alongside other power-generation and distribution solutions across the country.
According to him, the real value of the investment lies not merely in the installation of solar panels or the number of connections achieved, but in its capacity to improve livelihoods and stimulate economic activity.
“The true significance of these investments will be measured in the daily lives they improve: the farmer who can process produce closer to home; the trader who can preserve perishable goods, the artisan who can power equipment, and the young person who can build a livelihood within the community,” he said.
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Tegbe added that dependable electricity could strengthen public services, reduce residents’ reliance on expensive self-generation and create an environment for businesses to grow.
He said the Federal Ministry of Power would continue working with the Gombe State Government, project developers and host communities to ensure that the facilities deliver reliable services and translate into lasting economic benefits.
The minister also urged residents to protect the installations against vandalism to ensure the sustainability of the power supply.
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the project as the outcome of collaboration between the state government and the Federal Government through the REA.
He said reliable electricity, combined with facilities for rice milling, groundnut processing, flour production and electric mobility, could strengthen the entire local economy of Balanga, an agricultural area that had endured years without power.
According to him, the intervention would extend the benefits of electrification beyond household lighting to productive activities capable of supporting livelihoods and expanding local economic opportunities.
Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the agency was shifting its focus from simply counting electricity connections and installed megawatts to measuring the economic outcomes of its interventions.
He explained that electricity access without reliability would limit the impact of rural electrification, hence the integration of battery storage, intelligent monitoring systems, productive-use equipment and sustainable operating models into the projects.
Aliyu said the objective was to develop viable electricity ecosystems that support economic activity, rather than merely install power plants.
The projects are being implemented under the Federal Government’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, which seeks to expand electricity access through renewable energy solutions.
Under the programme, the government is pursuing a mix of interventions, including strengthening the national grid, developing mini-grids and embedded generation, deploying solar home systems and providing dedicated electricity solutions for universities, markets and agricultural clusters.
The commissioning was attended by members of the Gombe State Executive Council, traditional rulers and community leaders from Komu, Kaltung and Tallasse, as well as members of the National and State Assemblies and religious leaders.
