The Federal Government has broken ground on three interconnected
mini-grid projects in Kofare, Saminaka and Mbamba communities of Adamawa
State, with a combined generation capacity of 13.5 megawatts, in line
with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to
expand electricity access to underserved communities across Nigeria.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the Honourable Minister for
Power, Joseph Tegbe, described the initiative as another milestone in
the nation’s journey towards universal electricity access, energy
security and a cleaner energy future. He stressed that mini-grids are
not a substitute for the national grid but an integral part of Nigeria’s
power architecture, as the country builds a more diversified system
combining grid infrastructure, mini-grids, renewables and storage.
Tegbe linked the projects to the Distributed Access through Renewable
Energy Scale-up (DARES) Programme, the world’s largest publicly funded
renewable energy access initiative, mobilising public and private
investment to connect millions of Nigerians to reliable power.
The Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, Mr. Abba
Abubakar Aliyu, said the projects form part of a wider rollout of 39
mini-grids across Adamawa State, three interconnected and 36 isolated,
with a combined capacity of nearly 27MW, set to reach about 40,000
households, 6,000 MSMEs and over 100 public institutions. He commended
Tegbe’s sustained support for renewable energy and his recognition of
mini-grids as a key part of the national grid ecosystem.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri commended the Federal Government for the
initiative and thanked Tegbe for his leadership, noting the projects
were a direct outcome of last year’s REA State-by-State Roundtable,
which brought developers and state governments together and demonstrated
Adamawa’s investment readiness.
While performing the official groundbreaking, the Minister commended the
state government for providing 30 hectares of land, praised REA’s
implementation efforts, and acknowledged development partners, DisCos,
financiers and host communities for their roles. He urged host
communities to protect the mini-grid assets from vandalism, describing
them as belonging to the people.
For the beneficiary communities, today marks more than the start of
construction, it is the beginning of a new chapter in which reliable
power drives commerce, deepens learning, and secures livelihoods. As the
Renewed Hope Agenda continues to light up communities once left in the
dark, today’s milestone is further proof that Nigeria’s electricity
future is being built deliberately, efficiently and sustainably.
