Nigeria has made significant progress in expanding electricity access, with over 150 million people already connected. However, there’s still more work to be done, as 86 million Nigerians remain without access to electricity.
Nigeria’s Electrification Efforts
The Federal Government’s “Mission 300” program, developed in collaboration with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, aims to expand electricity access. The program has secured a $750 million funding package from the World Bank to electrify 17.5 million Nigerians.
Key Initiatives
- Renewable Energy: Distributed renewable energy solutions, such as mini-grids powered by solar photovoltaics, are being promoted to bring electricity to rural and underserved communities.
- Siemens Power Project: The project, which began in 2018, has been revived under the current government and has completed its pilot phase. Phase 1 involves constructing five new substations across different geopolitical zones.
- Rural Electrification Agency (REA): The agency plans to provide electricity to 25 million Nigerians within the next three years.
Challenges Ahead
Despite progress, Nigeria’s power sector faces challenges, including:
- Vandalism: Protecting power assets from vandalism is crucial to ensuring an uninterrupted electricity supply.
- Funding: Securing investment to support the expansion of electricity access remains a significant challenge.
Source: Nairametrics
