The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), under the World Bank-supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) Project, has partnered with eight private sector companies to expand energy access across Nigeria’s unserved and underserved communities.

Among the selected implementers under the Standalone Solar Systems (SAS) component is NTA-StarTimes, which, alongside its affiliated company StarTimes Solar, will deploy tier 1 and tier 2 plug-and-play solar solutions to households and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The effort supports national goals to increase access to clean, reliable energy in rural and peri-urban regions.

The DARES project, launched in 2024 with a $750 million facility, is designed to empower state governments, accelerate private sector participation, and scale renewable energy technologies across Nigeria.

The initiative aims to benefit over 17.5 million people and is aligned with the World Bank’s Mission300 agenda and Nigeria’s broader energy transition strategy.

At the official signing ceremony, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO of the REA, underscored the importance of collaborative engagement with private stakeholders:

“Today’s signing is not just a contract — it is a commitment to communities long underserved by conventional infrastructure. Through DARES, we are enabling private sector leadership in bringing life-changing energy solutions to the heart of Nigeria.”

Commenting on the development, Joshua Wang, CEO of NTA-StarTimes, expressed the company’s readiness to contribute to the national energy access objective:
“We are committed to reaching every unserved and underserved Nigerian with quick setup and long-lasting products to make lives easier for them. This project is also coming at the right time, when Nigeria is seeking to expand energy access across and most especially, to the rural communities.”

The REA emphasised that the partnership is part of its strategy to spur inclusive development and foster socio-economic growth in underserved areas.
Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme (HNEP), highlighted the wider impact of the project:

“Every connection made under DARES is more than a number — it is a doorway to education, healthcare, commerce, and inclusion. Partnerships like these are the blueprint for achieving our national energy access goals.”

Through DARES, participating organisations will play a crucial role in shaping Nigeria’s energy future, helping to ensure that renewable energy solutions reach communities where they are needed most.