REA Meets States, Discos to Revamp Nigeria’s Power Sector
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has convened a two-day roundtable event to chart a new course for collaboration and partnership with designated representatives from the state governments and Distribution Companies (Discos).
In a statement, the said the meeting was convened in collaboration with frontline institutions in the sustainable development space, Ernst & Young (EY), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank.
Opening the discussions, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu spoke on the need for a deliberate collaboration amongst stakeholders in the sector to achieve the objectives.
He said this would help in providing universal energy access for all to optimise the 2023 Electricity Act signed by President Bola Tinubu.
Adelabu said: “The dichotomy between on-grid and off-grid solutions should no longer be seen as a division but as complementary components of a holistic energy strategy.
“By seamlessly integrating ongrid and off-grid efforts, we can ensure that every citizen, regardless of location, enjoys the benefits of a reliable and sustainable power supply”.
While delivering his keynote address, Managing Director, REA, Salihijo Ahmad, emphasised the critical role of sustainable energy to national development.
He explained that: “Beyond keeping the lights on, the REA’s approach is to continue to explore access gaps across sectors while working with diverse stakeholders to target clean energy innovations towards solving real life problems.”
The Regional Managing Partner of Ernst & Young, Anthony Oputa, explained that the firm’s efforts in the energy sector are targeted at working in lockstep with stakeholders to create pathways for access to critical data on unelectrified communities.
Oputa reiterated ongoing efforts to establish a formal structure for engagement and collaboration with Discos, creating an enabling environment for mini-grid developers, while promoting accountability and capacity-building initiatives.”