The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed an agreement aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s clean energy transition, fostering innovation and preparing a future-ready workforce.
The partnership, formalised in Abuja, will focus on five core pillars of energising education and innovation, expanding skills development, supporting state-level policy reforms, unlocking innovative financing and advancing research and communication.
Both organisations say the initiative is designed to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth and to position Nigeria as a regional hub for renewable energy.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of REA, Dr Abba Aliyu, described the partnership as “a game-changer for Nigeria’s clean energy future.” He said the collaboration would build on the Federal Government’s ongoing renewable energy scale-up, while unlocking opportunities in local content development, manufacturing, and sustainable investment.
“Our goal is to position Nigeria as a renewable energy hub, reduce governance costs, and catalyse innovation, research, and development,” Dr. Aliyu said.
He stressed the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s vast energy market by focusing on local content, innovative financing, and practical strategies that advance sustainability.
UNDP’s Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie G. Attafuah, said the partnership would go beyond providing access to clean energy by serving as an “engine for innovation, youth empowerment, and job creation.”
She highlighted the need to transform Nigeria’s natural resources, such as lithium, into renewable products like battery systems, and emphasised the role of research and development in creating green jobs.
Under the agreement, UNDP and REA would integrate University Innovation Pods and Maker Spaces into REA’s Energising Education Programme, turning universities and teaching hospitals into innovation hubs.
They will also expand REA’s NEXTGEN initiative, creating a pipeline of young professionals equipped with skills for the clean energy sector. Other components include providing technical guidance to states implementing the Electricity Act, using blended finance to attract private capital into the sector and jointly producing data and evidence to guide policy and public engagement on clean energy adoption.
