REA Begins Work On 37 Solar Mini-grids In Zamfara, To Connect 125,106 Households

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has begun work on 37 solar mini-grid projects in Zamfara State, which will add about 18.8 megawatts-peak (MWp) of generation capacity and connect 125,106 households.

The projects, comprising two interconnected and 35 isolated mini-grids, were flagged off on Wednesday. They will serve seven Local Government Areas: Gummi, Gusau, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Shinkafi, Tsafe and Zurmi.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, said that at an illustrative average of five people per connection, the projects could reach more than 625,000 people. He noted that the actual figure would depend on the mix of household, commercial and institutional connections.

“The real economic significance of 125,106 electricity connections is not simply the number of households that may receive power. It is the number of businesses that can become productive, the agricultural value chains that can be strengthened, the jobs that can be created, the public institutions that can function more efficiently and the private investments that reliable electricity can unlock,” he said.

The groundbreaking was held alongside the unveiling of the Zamfara State Electricity Policy and the signing of a collaboration agreement between REA and the Zamfara State Government to solarise public institutions across the state. The agreement provides a framework for supplying reliable renewable electricity to critical government facilities.

Aliyu described the Zamfara intervention as an opportunity to demonstrate a new model of electricity development in Nigeria, combining infrastructure investment, state-level policy reform, institutional electrification and private-sector participation.

“Infrastructure without an enabling market framework risks becoming a collection of disconnected assets. However, when electricity infrastructure is supported by clear policies, effective institutions, commercially viable tariffs, credible regulation and predictable investment conditions, it becomes the foundation of a sustainable electricity economy,” he said.

On the agreement with the state government, he said: “Across Nigeria, public institutions continue to face the financial and operational consequences of unreliable electricity. Hospitals, schools and government facilities often depend on expensive alternative generation, diverting scarce resources away from essential services.”

“Through this partnership, our objective is to demonstrate how decentralised renewable energy can improve service delivery, reduce long-term operating costs and establish commercially sustainable models for powering critical public infrastructure.”

“More importantly, these institutions can provide anchor demand for electricity investments, helping improve project bankability and creating opportunities to extend reliable power to surrounding communities and businesses.”

Aliyu also placed the Zamfara projects within the agency’s national plans. “Under the $750 million World Bank-supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, our national ambition is to expand electricity access to approximately 17.5 million Nigerians, while supporting the development of around 1,350 mini-grids and scaling distributed renewable energy solutions,” he said.

“Our ultimate ambition is not simply to connect Zamfara to electricity. It is to connect Zamfara’s people, businesses and institutions to a new economy of productivity, investment and opportunity. That is the real measure of success, and that is the transformation we are committed to delivering,” he added.

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, described the unveiling of the state’s electricity policy and the partnership with REA as important steps in the government’s broader economic development strategy.

“Today, we are taking deliberate steps to redefine Zamfara’s electricity future. The unveiling of our State Electricity Policy is a statement of our intention to build a structured, investment-friendly and sustainable electricity market that responds to the needs of our people and the ambitions of our economy,” he said.

“We recognise that reliable electricity is indispensable to agricultural transformation, industrial development, healthcare delivery, education and job creation.”

“Our collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency on the solarisation of public institutions reflects our determination to translate policy into practical infrastructure that improves the delivery of essential services.”

“Our objective is to create an electricity ecosystem in which government provides the enabling environment, private investors bring capital and innovation, and our communities benefit from reliable and affordable electricity,” the governor said.

The Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, described the event as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding electricity access and supporting state participation in electricity market development.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Federal Government is pursuing an electricity transformation strategy that recognises the critical role of decentralised infrastructure, state-level market development and private-sector investment,” he said.

“Electricity must do more than illuminate homes. It must power hospitals, strengthen educational institutions, support agricultural productivity, enable businesses and improve the quality of public services.”

“The Federal Government will continue to support states that are taking practical steps to develop their electricity markets and create the conditions necessary for sustainable private investment.”

“What we are witnessing in Zamfara reflects the integrated approach required to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges while creating new opportunities across the economy,” he said.

As part of the event, the Minister commissioned two solar mini-grid projects developed by the Zamfara State government.

They are a 1MW solar mini-grid at Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, designed to support reliable electricity for healthcare delivery, and a 1.2MW solar mini-grid serving the Zamfara State government House. Together, the projects represent 2.2MW of commissioned solar generation capacity with over 3MW of battery storage.

The minister also unveiled 100 ZamTaxi electric vehicles, marking an expansion of clean transportation initiatives in the state. Ten electric tricycles dedicated to maternal health services were also unveiled to improve access to healthcare transportation, particularly for pregnant women and mothers.

In addition, two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses donated by the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) were unveiled, in line with the Federal government’s efforts to encourage alternative transportation fuels.

The Zamfara State Electricity Policy is expected to provide strategic direction for institutional coordination, market development, private-sector participation and the long-term sustainability of electricity services. The Electricity Act 2023 gives states greater responsibility for electricity market development, and Zamfara is positioning itself to attract private investment, promote decentralised energy infrastructure and align electricity planning with its economic priorities.

The collaboration agreement covers healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other essential government infrastructure. It also provides an opportunity to explore scalable financing and implementation models that could be replicated in other states.

REA will continue to support Zamfara through technical collaboration, project development and private-sector engagement, with emphasis on the commercial sustainability of electricity infrastructure and its contribution to economic productivity.