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By Uche Usim
In a major push to bridge Nigeria’s energy gap, the federal government has announced plans to provide electricity to 25 million Nigerians within the next three years.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), aims to accelerate access to reliable power, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Monday, Abba Aliyu, the newly appointed Managing Director of REA, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to delivering sustainable electrification solutions.
He emphasised that the project would be underpinned by a strong commercial framework, ensuring long-term sustainability and impact.
“The mandate is clear, expand access to electricity, improve reliability, and ensure that millions of Nigerians benefit from stable power supply.
“With the backing of international partners and strategic investments, we are poised to achieve this ambitious goal”, he said.
Aliyu noted that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader energy strategy, which prioritizes economic growth, social development, and improved quality of life through expanded electricity access. As the rollout begins, expectations are high that this bold move will drive industrialization, boost productivity, and transform communities across Nigeria.
“The present government wants me to face this challenge [of providing electricity to underserved Nigerians] head-on. That is why the target we set for ourselves is to electrify 25 million Nigerians in the next three years as quickly as possible,” he said.
To demonstrate its commitment, the Federal Government has secured a $750 million funding package from the World Bank to electrify 17.5 million Nigerians.
Aliyu assured that the funds would be strategically deployed to maximize impact, with a structured plan on how implementation would proceed.
Breaking down the electrification strategy, Aliyu explained that different solutions would be deployed based on regional and infrastructural needs: 30 million Nigerians will receive electricity via isolated mini-grids; 1.5 million Nigerians will be connected through interconnected mini-grids; 12 million Nigerians will benefit from mesh grids and standalone home systems.
This diversified approach is expected to accelerate electrification efforts while ensuring sustainability and efficiency.
“Providing electricity needs to have an inbuilt commercial framework.”
Aliyu was clear in his stance that free electricity models are unsustainable and ultimately lead to failure.
“I would like to make a very clear statement that any framework regarding electricity, any infrastructure framework designed to provide electricity for free, is bound to fail,” he stated.
He stressed the importance of incorporating commercial structures that ensure long-term sustainability.
“Providing electricity needs to have an inbuilt commercial framework to allow its sustainability. The cost of providing electricity, which is the tariff, must be cost-reflective because sustainability is key,” Aliyu explained.
