REA deploys over 200 mini-grids in 2025, eyes 1,350 power projects

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has disclosed that it deployed more than 200 mini-grids across underserved communities nationwide in 2025, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to expand electricity access.

The deployments were carried out under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) between January and December 2025, according to REA Managing Director, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, who disclosed the figures during a media briefing in Kano.

Aliyu said the completion of the NEP represents a major step toward improving the reliability and sustainability of electricity supply, particularly in rural and off-grid communities.

He noted that the agency recorded substantial progress in renewable energy deployment during the year, driven by a mix of ongoing and newly approved projects. Central to this progress is the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) project, recently approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to Aliyu, the DARES initiative is designed to deploy 1,350 mini-grids nationwide, providing electricity access to an estimated 17.5 million Nigerians.

“We are currently building over 900 mini-grids across the country, and our target is to reach 1,350,” he said.

Beyond infrastructure deployment, the REA has also strengthened collaboration with subnational governments. Aliyu revealed that the agency engaged 21 states through state-by-state electrification roundtable meetings in 2025, an initiative he described as unprecedented.

He explained that the engagements equipped state governments with critical data, partnership frameworks, and updates on ongoing electrification projects, helping to better align federal and state electrification strategies.

In addition, the REA completed a nationwide electrification mapping exercise, identifying over 150,000 communities either without electricity or experiencing unreliable supply. The data, he said, will support the adoption of least-cost electrification solutions tailored to local needs.

Aliyu reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to delivering sustainable and reliable electricity to rural and underserved communities, describing expanded access to power as critical to economic growth, job creation, and improved quality of life.

Source Daily Trust