Nigeria’s minister of state, power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, has inaugurated a new board for the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Critical ministries and agencies with supportive roles to the power ministry have ex-officio representations on the governing board.
Members of the REA board include Abdulazeez Musa Yar’Adua as chairman, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad who is managing director/CEO as member. On the board as members representing the six – geopolitical zones are, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi (South West), Chidi Emmanuel Nwogu (South East), Catherine A. Ajibike (South South), Dr. Abdullahi Garba (North West), Dr. Abdul Umar (North East), and Mohammed Kabir Badamasuiy (North Central).
The minister explained that to enhance partnerships and improve the synergy with critical agencies which are supportive of REA in achieving its mandate, a number of government organizations are represented on the governing board with ex-officio status.
These are federal ministry of power (supervising ministry), federal ministry of finance, budget and national planning as well as the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE).
The ministry of power has also announced the appointment of Dr. Sanusi Ohiare as the executive director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF) for another 5-year term.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is one of the top performing parastatals under the supervision of the federal ministry of power as it has continued to roll out solar off-grid power solutions and grid extension to millions of unserved and underserved Nigerians.
REA has been successful particularly because of critical partnerships with key government counterparts and both national and international stakeholders.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is the implementing agency of the federal government of Nigeria, under the federal ministry of power, tasked with the electrification of unserved and underserved communities with the aim to catalyze economic growth and improve quality of life for Nigerians.
The agency is currently administering the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) and implementing the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) and a number of initiatives in furtherance of its mandate: Energizing Education Programme (EEP), Grid Extension (Capital Projects), Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI), Solar Power Naija Programme, Energy for All – ‘Mass Rural Electrification’ and Research and Innovation Hub.
The Agency is responsible for creating an enabling environment for private sector-led projects, which includes conducting pre-feasibility assessments, energy audits, enumeration, data analysis, identification of qualified private sector developers, and project stakeholder engagements and community engagements for awareness creation.
To give effect to some of its initiatives, REA has obtained financing amounting to $550 million ($350 million from the World Bank and $200 million from the African Development Bank) for financing the Nigeria Electrification Project, and an additional $11 million for financing the Rural Electrification Fund for the deployment of Solar hybrid mini grids and solar home systems.
The funds are to provide millions of Nigerians access to clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity.
By Chibisi Ohakah, Abuja
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