Osinbajo launches ESP Solar Power Naija scheme, targets 5m connections to off-grid communities

*The Solar Power Naija initiative is expected to create 250,000 new job opportunities in the energy sector of the Nigerian economy besides empowering equipment manufacturers to establish factories locally

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of the nationwide plan to deliver five million connections to off-grid communities, Vice-President (Prof.) Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the Solar Power Naija programme in Jigawa State, Northern Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect reports that the Vice-President inaugurated the alternative power scheme Friday, April 9, 2021, as part of the Federal Government’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to deliver millions of connections to off-grid communities across the country.

Mr. Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, who dislcosed this development via his verified Twitter account Friday, April 9, 2021, said the Solar Power Naija programme in Jigawa stated with the Jangefe community.

The Jangefe community in in the state is said to be the first location covered by the A-Solar company, which has leveraged Roni LGA and Kazaure Emirate Council to do mass sensitisation for an understanding of the usage of the system and payment mechanisms.

Vice-President Osinbajo Inspecting a Solar Power Project in Kano  Photo: YemiOsinbajo.Com

Through a World Bank and REA programme called the Nigerian Electrification Programme (NEP), each connection under the Solar Power Naija programme would receive a 20% rebate for the developer.

The presidential aide noted that the community’s 5,000-strong population would get 1,000 Solar Home Systems connections.

It was learnt that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), an agency in the Federal Ministry of Power is the implementing public agency for the five million off-grid solar connections programme (Solar Power Naija).

The event marks the inauguration of 100,000 connections through a commercial partnership between A-Solar, a local developer, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), and Sterling Bank, report stated.

The alternative power initiative includes about N140 billion to be provided in concessionary financing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the commercial banks for off-grid developers.

The objective, it was gathered, is to enable the developers to roll out mini-grids and solar home systems to provide electricity to locations across the country.

The programme cost hovers around N3,000 per month and above, depending on system type to provide electricity to locations all across the country.

The benefitting community will be making monthly energy payment until the systems are fully paid for at the point in which there will be a transfer of ownership to each consumer in the community.

It will, therefore, allow the rates charged to consumers to be reduced by the same amount.

In terms opportunities, therefore, the government stated that the Solar Power Naija is also expected to create 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector of the country’s economy.

Besides, the solar equipment manufacturers who will be incentivised establish facilities locally with a view to creating additional job opportunities to Nigerians.