About 250 rural communities across Nigeria would soon be connected to stable electricity generated from solar based facilities, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has disclosed.
The REA which revealed this recently, noted that this would be undertaken under its new initiative – the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP). It explained 250 rural communities across Nigeria had been penciled down to benefit from this. According to the agency, electricity from the solar mini girds would be safe, affordable and constant for homes, businesses, schools, places of worship and health centers of these communities.
It added that it was working with private companies to achieve this. Within the first phase of the NEP, the REA said 67 communities; Niger – 13 communities; Cross River – 18 communities; Sokoto – 23 communities; and Ogun – 13 communities would benefit from the project, while others would come afterwards.  According to the agency, private companies would be selected through a competitive tender process to install the solar mini grids.
It stated that these companies must be eligible to participate in the competitive tender, it added, noting that project developers will be assessed based on their experience and skill, financial capability, Integrity and reputation as well as legal compliance. The REA noted that the NEP would be funded by the World Bank, with private developers building, operating, and maintaining the solar mini grid in the communities, while the agency would act as the implementing agency of the NEP.
Source: THIS DAY