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From Adanna Nnamani
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at expanding telecommunications services in rural communities by leveraging mini-grids to power telecom base stations.
The agreement was signed at the National Stakeholders’ Forum on Renewable Energy for Sustainable Telecommunications Infrastructure in Abuja, where government agencies, telecom operators, mini-grid developers, independent power producers and development partners gathered to deepen collaboration between the energy and telecommunications sectors.
Speaking after the event, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Engr. Sunday Oshadami, described electricity and telecommunications as two critical services that must work together to drive Nigeria’s digital economy.
According to Oshadami, while telecommunications infrastructure depends on electricity to power base stations and charge mobile devices, electricity services also rely on telecommunications for operations such as vending and recharging prepaid electricity meters.
He explained that the agreement would enable the NCC and REA to maximise existing infrastructure by identifying telecom base stations located close to existing or planned mini-grids and connecting them to reliable power sources.
According to him, the initiative is expected to significantly improve connectivity in underserved and off-grid communities where unreliable electricity has remained a major challenge to quality telecommunications services.
“It is of great benefit. We know how important electricity is and we also know how important our mobile phone communication is. What we are doing today is a collaboration to ensure that Nigerians enjoy the best of both services.
“So, the two of them are so crucial and critical to the development of our country and to the digital economy, which is today the backbone of every economy.
“Where you have mini-grids, we will be able to identify base stations that are close to them so that they can take electricity supply from those mini-grids. That way, rural communities where electricity is a challenge will enjoy seamless connectivity,” Oshadami said.
He noted that the arrangement would ensure that telecom base stations remain operational even when there is no supply from the national grid, thereby improving network availability and giving rural residents greater access to digital services.
On when Nigerians should expect the impact of the partnership, Oshadami said implementation would commence immediately, as both agencies had already identified communities where mini-grids and telecom base stations are located within close proximity.
He disclosed that the MoU clearly outlines the responsibilities of both organisations, enabling them to begin implementation without delay.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Executive Director, Technical Services, REA, Engr. Umar Abdullahi, said the partnership marked a departure from years of isolated planning between the energy and telecommunications sectors, stressing that both industries must work together to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure gap.
Umar noted that Nigeria’s digital economy depends on reliable electricity, explaining that every base station, fibre node and data centre requires power to function. He observed that inadequate grid coverage has forced telecom operators to rely heavily on diesel generators, making network expansion into rural communities commercially difficult.
According to him, REA’s investments in renewable energy mini-grids under the Nigeria Electrification Project and the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) Project provide an opportunity to address the challenge while also improving the commercial viability of mini-grids.
He disclosed that technical teams from both agencies had already mapped telecom base stations against existing and planned mini-grid sites, identifying priority locations where renewable-powered telecom infrastructure could be deployed immediately.
According to Umar, the collaboration is not intended to interfere with commercial decisions by telecom operators or energy developers but to create an enabling environment for partnerships by providing site data and reducing transaction costs.
“The Memorandum of Understanding establishes the institutional framework for this collaboration. But an MoU between two agencies does not, by itself, energise a single tower. What builds projects is commercial agreement between developers and operators, underpinned by a regulatory environment that both can rely on,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to identify practical barriers, including tariff structures, contract terms, reliability guarantees and regulatory issues, that could slow implementation, adding that the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Mission 300 to expand access to electricity and digital connectivity.
The partnership is expected to deepen digital inclusion, improve access to telecommunications services in rural communities and support the Federal Government’s efforts to expand broadband penetration through reliable and sustainable energy infrastructure.
