Kenneth Udeh from Abuja
The South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has concluded plans with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to extend power supply to rural communities across the Southeast, leveraging on the National Renewable Energy Project established under Section 127 of the 2023 Electricity Act.
The plan was unveiled on Friday during a strategic meeting between SEDC’s Managing Director/CEO, Mark Okoye, and the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu.
Both agencies agreed on a collaborative framework to extend electricity to rural, underserved, and unserved areas of the Southeast in a cost-effective manner that ensures sustainable returns through appropriate tariffs designed to support the region’s social, industrial, and agricultural development.
The discussions emphasized the deployment of renewable energy solutions, particularly Solar Mini-Grid projects, to light up thousands of homes, especially in remote areas.
Mark Okoye highlighted the urgent need to attract private sector investment and engage key stakeholders to align with the Federal Government’s renewable energy drive.
He lamented the Southeast’s significant power deficit, which continues to impede economic growth and industrialization in the region.
Okoye urged the REA to support SEDC’s renewable energy initiatives aimed at powering upcoming critical infrastructure projects.
“Our discussions centered around the opportunities for deploying renewable energy solutions in unserved and underserved communities throughout the South East.
“We also explored how the REA can back alternative energy solutions for key infrastructure projects planned for rollout soon.
“The SEDC is fully committed to collaborating with the REA as a regional implementation partner to address the electricity shortages that hinder the South East’s development”, Okoye said.
In his response, REA’s Abba Aliyu assured Okoye that the Southeast would fully benefit from the Federal Government’s energy initiatives. He pledged the agency’s commitment to working closely with the SEDC to realize its electrification goals.
Aliyu outlined several major projects under the REA, including the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES), the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative (NPSSI), Energising Education Programme (EEP), Energising Economies Initiative (EEI), Energising Agriculture Programme (EAP), Energy for All – Mass Rural Electrification, and the Research and Innovation Hub.
He reiterated that the REA, under the Federal Ministry of Power, remains dedicated to electrifying unserved and underserved communities to drive economic growth and enhance the quality of life for Nigerians.