ROGEP Partners Nigeria to Improve Access to Electricity

The Regional Off–Grid Electrification Project (ROGEP), will support Nigeria and 18 other countries in West Africa and the Sahel, to accelerate access to electricity through the use of Standalone Solar Photovoltaic systems.

This was made known by the Ag. Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access Department, Ministry of Power, Engr. Faruk Yusuf, while speaking during a workshop organized by the Ministry and ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Abuja, on Monday.

According to Yusuf, “ROGEP which is aimed at providing Nigeria the opportunity to realize its universal electricity access goals, is in tandem with the aspirations of the Federal Government as contained in its vision EV; 30:30:30 of achieving 30 percent renewable energy contribution to the country’s energy mix by year 2030”.

Yusuf, who was represented by Engr. Samuel Ben Ayangeaor,  said due to the strategic importance electricity plays in achieving national development and poverty reduction in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Sahel region, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREE) designed ROGEP, which is targeted at increasing access to sustainable electricity services in the ECOWAS region for households, commercial enterprises, public health and education facilities.

He stated that the project is funded by the World Bank with co-financing from Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and Directorate General of International Corporation (DGIS) of the Government of Netherlands with the aim of providing universal electricity to the region by year 2020.

The Director disclosed that as a party to the Paris Agreement, Nigeria made a commitment to reduce its Green House Gas Emissions conditionally and unconditionally by 20% and 45% respectively. To achieve this target, he said a lot is required from both the private and the public sector. He therefore, urged the private sector to seize the opportunities in the electricity industry to implement projects that would enhance the socio – economic development of the country, while giving the assurance that government is committed to creating the necessary enabling environment.

In his presentation, Segun Adaju, a consultant from GreenMax Capital Advisers said the Federal Government plans to do grid expansion, thereby increasing national electrification rate and provide access to electricity to about 20 million Nigerian households by year 2030, and achieve universal access by 2040.

He added that in an attempt to synchronize efforts, an independent Resource Plan (IRP) was developed to drive implementation of several key policies, including the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP), the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) and Nigeria’s Sustainable Energy for All Action Agenda, in an effort to clarify the off – grid components of each plan.

Etore E. Thomas

DD (Press)