The Federal Authorities has signed an settlement with the European Union and the German Authorities to offer help price £17.9m to fund Nigeria’s off-grid electrical energy challenge.
The challenge launched beneath the third part of the Nigerian Vitality Assist Programme is to foster investments in renewable vitality, vitality effectivity and rural electrification.
In line with the EU, the programme will allow 154,000 individuals to entry electrical energy and join 30,000 others to scrub cooking gasoline, whereas eight megawatts of electrical energy can be generated within the third part.
The NESP was commissioned in 2013 as a technical help programme co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Financial Cooperation and Improvement and carried out by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Energy.
Talking on the launch and steering committee assembly of NESP III, the Head of Part Inexperienced and Digital Economic system on the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Inga Stefanowicz, mentioned attaining a cleaner future is the enterprise of all stakeholders.
She mentioned the EU has not solely continued to help the Nigerian authorities to attain its vitality safety plans however to additionally obtain a sustainable vitality future via the rise of renewables in its electrical energy combine.
In line with her, the EU is happy to have commissioned extra funding for the third part of the programme to proceed supporting the event of assorted frameworks and modern fashions, bringing a brand new panorama to the idea of electrical energy franchising, attracting renewable vitality investments and guaranteeing dependable energy provide to its beneficiaries.
She mentioned, “As we’re launching this third part, there’s extra for us forward, 154,000 individuals may have new or improved entry to electrical energy beneath this new part. 30,000 individuals will get new entry to LPG for cooking, for clear cooking. The set up of 8MW of extra renewable vitality capability can also be deliberate.
“Attaining simply vitality transition is a enterprise for all stakeholders. And the EU has
partnered with Nigeria to launch this aim for a few years to attain sustainable vitality, vitality safety, vitality effectivity, entry, and clear vitality.
“Photo voltaic set up for well being initiatives, we help and work hand in hand with state governments. That is a part of our key targets, actually, and on the centre of our partnership with Nigeria. Clear and digital financial system and a part of our world gateway technique that works for the individuals and the planet.”
Additionally talking on the launch, the deputy ambassador, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Johannes Lehne, reaffirmed the dedication of the German authorities to Nigeria in attaining its vitality transition targets.
He mentioned, “Applied sciences and investments for renewable vitality and vitality effectivity can be key for diversifying Nigeria’s vitality combine and decarbonising the 5 essential sectors recognized within the Vitality Transition Plan.
“The third part of NESP was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Financial Cooperation and Improvement with €8.9m Euros in Could this 12 months.
“The EU has lately commissioned an extra €9m, which will increase the overall finances of the NESP programme to €17.9m. This exhibits Germany’s and its companions continued dedication to help Nigeria’s set targets within the Vitality Transition Plan.”
In his remarks, the Everlasting Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Mahmuda Mamman, mentioned the challenge will assist shut the hole of 100 million Nigerians not gaining access to electrical energy.
In line with him, renewable vitality is critical in addressing the challenges of offering electrical energy for the unserved rural communities in Nigeria.
“Section three of the Nigerian Vitality Assist Programme is due to the successes recorded in Phases One and Two.
“Phases one and two have elevated entry to electrical energy provide in rural areas in Nigeria. About 100 million individuals in Nigeria should not have entry to electrical energy.”
Equally, the Head of Programme at NESP, Duke Benjamin, highlighted that the challenge, which commenced in 2013, will present electrical energy to rural communities not related to the nation’s nationwide grid.
The PUNCH reviews Nigeria’s electrical energy challenges have endured regardless of a number of interventions. In 2024 alone, Nigeria’s nationwide grid had collapsed no less than eight instances.
Nigeria, with an estimated inhabitants of over 200 million, generates solely 5000 megawatts of electrical energy.