FG deploys renewable energy to police stations, borders in $1.1b deal

• Sign MoUs With Nine Companies To Electrify Agriculture, Health Facilities
• Companies To Establish 1,500MW Solar Plants In Nigeria

Police Stations across Nigeria and offices of the Nigerian Immigration Services, including health and agricultural facilities, are among key public infrastructure that would be lit under a Federal Government $1.1 billion renewable energy project’

The project also aims to unlock a 1,500 megawatt solar panel energy assembly plant across the country.

This was revealed on Friday as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abuja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with local and international organisations.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, said the project will provide electric vehicle charging facilities for security agencies in alignment with the Electricity Act.

According to him, under the Act, the REA is tasked with developing a National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan to coordinate states’ efforts towards universal energy access, adding that the strategy includes sector-specific plans, such as the National Education Electrification Plan, National Agricultural Electrification Plan, and National Health Electrification Plan.

“These partnerships are critical, as the government alone cannot solve the energy crisis. We are working with Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) to attract private sector investments,” Aliyu explained.

He revealed that companies including Oando are establishing a 1,500MW solar panel manufacturing facility to boost local capacity and reduce importation.

Aliyu stressed on the importance of the $750 million Distributed Access Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) Fund, managed by the REA, saying the fund, a key achievement of the current government.