Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said the federal government would provide off-grid electricity to power business clusters across the country to support them to create jobs and wealth. The vice president stated this, yesterday, as he inaugurated a 1.5 megawatts (MW) independent mini grid power supply system to provide electricity at Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos.
The off-grid electricity was developed by a private operator – Solad Power Holdings, from the Island Power Plant in Marina, through a dedicated underground distribution network infrastructure. The Sura mini grid power system was initiated by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) under the Energising Economy Initiative (EEI) of the federal government which is aimed at providing off grid electricity to business clusters across Nigeria. According to Osinbajo, many other markets across the country are slated to benefit from the EEI.
In her remarks, the Managing Director of REA, Damilola Ogunbiyi stated that with the completion of three pilot projects in Sabon Gari Market – Kano State; Ariaria Market – Abia State; and Sura Shopping Complex – Lagos, another 13 markets across the country were now expected to benefit from the EEI. She added that over the next five years, the EEI which is fully funded by the private sector, would reach 500,00 small businesses within 350 economic centres.
Source: THIS DAY