NIGERIA – Husk Power Systems, a rural energy services company, has signed agreements under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) to electrify seven communities with solar hybrid minigrids.
The agreements fall under the Solar Hybrid Minigrid Performance-Based Grant (PBG) sub-component of NEP, a project funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
The agreement is signed between the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the company’s Nigerian entity, Husk Power Energy Systems Nigeria.
“Husk Power’s mission is to rapidly scale the electrification of rural communities and continuously spur economic growth for medium, small, micro-enterprises in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa,” Husk Power country lead in Nigeria, Olu Aruike, said.
“We are grateful for the leadership and support provided by the REA and look forward to a long-term partnership in delivering power to all Nigerians.”
The seven communities to benefit from the solar hybrid minigrids are located across Nasarawa State. The project will conclude with a total of about 5,000 connections that will benefit households, small businesses, medium-scale agro-processing and public institutions.
The communities are in Doma Local Government Area (Rukubi, Idadu and Igbabo) and in Lafia Local Government Area (Kiguna, Akura, Gidan Buba and Sabon Gida).
“I am very excited to see our partnership with REA coming to fruition. It will enable Husk Nigeria, under our strong local leadership team, to scale rapidly in Nigeria and achieve our ambition of catalysing socio-economic development in rural communities across the country,” Husk Power co-founder and CEO, Manoj Sinha, said.
The objective of the PBG programme is to increase electricity access to unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria using solar hybrid technology. The agreement provides grants of US$350 per connection with a minimum total grant request of US$10,000 per minigrid.
The company currently operates 130 minigrids in India and Tanzania. Its solar hybrid minigrid projects will provide electricity to communities across Nasarawa State, with around 5,000 connections that will benefit households, small businesses, medium-scale agro-processing and public institutions.
