Nigeria has been ranked as the country with the highest number of people living without access to electricity, according to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Aliyu revealed that over 90 million Nigerians remain in darkness, despite ongoing interventions. He described the figure as alarming but emphasized that the current administration, in partnership with the private sector, is working aggressively to close the country’s energy gap.
“Nigeria has the highest number of people without access to electricity. Apart from India, no other country has put in place a structure to get people out of electricity poverty like we are doing now,” Aliyu stated.
Progress and Ongoing Projects
The REA boss noted that despite the staggering statistics, some progress had been achieved. According to him, over 70 million Nigerians have gained access to electricity through various REA-led programmes.
He further disclosed that new projects are in motion:
A programme targeting 17.5 million Nigerians within the next three years.
A Japan-backed initiative expected to connect 1.8 million citizens.
The E-Heart project, which aims to reach 16 million Nigerians, pending financing.
Aliyu stressed that the REA is tackling the challenge through innovative, private sector–driven models instead of relying solely on government contracts.
“We built the structure around private sector investment. They deploy their own capital alongside ours, which gives them the responsibility to keep the infrastructure running to recover their investment,” he explained.
Renewable Energy Push
Highlighting the agency’s focus on renewable energy, Aliyu pointed to successful mini-grid projects at Alex Ekwueme University and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, which have been running for over five years. He also cited a 20,000-kilowatt solar-hydro project in Balanga, Gombe State, which supports local wheat farmers.
The REA is also exploring solar, biomass, and wind energy, with solar identified as the most cost-effective option. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Nigerian Wind Council to expand large-scale wind energy.
Sustainability and Accountability
Aliyu assured Nigerians that the REA is developing a renewable asset management framework to refurbish failed or underperforming projects and reintegrate them into the energy ecosystem.
“We are designing the framework to ensure projects do not die out. Failed projects can be refurbished and reintroduced into the energy ecosystem,” he said.
He concluded by pledging data transparency to back up the agency’s achievements while reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring reliable power supply, especially in rural and underserved areas.
