Nigeria is a subscriber to the African Mini-Grid Programme (AMP). The activities of this regional programme have just been launched by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Abuja has entrusted its implementation to the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The REA is an initiative of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to provide technical assistance for the deployment of solar mini-grids through the creation of an enabling environment for private investors.
It is private companies that are accelerating the development of solar mini-grids in Africa. In Nigeria, for example, private investors are among the key stakeholders in the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) currently being implemented by REA, which has based its strategy on off-grid electricity access solutions, including solar home systems.
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The Federal Government of Nigeria intends to use the GPA to provide access to electricity to 70,063 people, including 34,559 women. According to him, the deployment of AMP will reduce emissions by 74,200 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the next four years in Nigeria. “The African Mini-Grid Programme will serve as a further catalyst for improving access to sustainable energy and equitable and inclusive impact on livelihoods by unlocking the agricultural value-added opportunities of electrification,” says Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, REA’s chief executive.
In addition to Nigeria, the GPA is being implemented in 20 other African countries, including Burkina Faso, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, eSwatini, Malawi, Somalia, Sudan, Madagascar, etc. The programme is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Jean Marie Takouleu