Says project to supply power to five Ibadan communities

The Federal Government has commenced a 17.7-megawatt (MW) interconnected mini-grids project in Ibadan, Oyo State, targeting at least 20 hours of daily electricity supply to five communities along the Iwo Road axis.

The project, being developed by Paras Energy & Natural Resources Development Limited, is expected to provide additional generation capacity to Bola, Jiboye, Ogo-Oluwa, Molade-Adelubi and Sooko Elega communities, where improved electricity supply is expected to support households, businesses and other productive activities.

The project was part of efforts to expand electricity supply through decentralised generation alongside improvements to Nigeria’s national grid.

Upon completion, the project is expected to deliver a minimum of 20 hours of electricity daily to the beneficiary communities, which also include the provision of 18 new transformers to strengthen electricity distribution within the project area.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, during the groundbreaking ceremony for five interconnected mini-grid projects with a combined generation capacity of 17.7 megawatts and a 17.74-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), said the project demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing available electricity, improving supply reliability and ensuring that power infrastructure translates into economic opportunities.

He said that the government’s focus extended beyond expanding electricity infrastructure to ensuring that additional generation capacity supports businesses, productive enterprises, industries and households.

“Our objective is clear: to increase the quantum of electricity available to Nigerians, improve the reliability of supply and ensure that electricity becomes an enabler of productivity, investment and economic growth. Projects such as this demonstrate how we are translating that commitment into infrastructure that directly serves communities and productive economic clusters,” he said

Tegbe said that the mini-grid intervention was being pursued alongside the Federal Government’s initiatives to strengthen generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure across the country.

The minister, however, dismissed reports of a planned increase in electricity tariffs, assuring Nigerians that the Federal Government is prioritising improved power supply across the country.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, said the 17.7MW Ibadan project reflected the scale of distributed energy investments being developed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the agency focused on deploying generation capacity where it could deliver the greatest economic impact, while leveraging private-sector investment and sustainable operating models.

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, however, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, saying improved electricity supply would positively affect businesses, households and livelihoods in the beneficiary communities.

Also, Managing Director of Paras Energy & Natural Resources Development Limited, Yashwant Kumar, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering the project efficiently and to the required standards.