A global climate organization supported by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund is piloting a solar mini-grid program in Nigeria to address the erratic power supplies hindering productivity in Africa’s most populous nation.
The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet plans to establish pilot mini-grids in each region covered by Nigeria’s 11 power distribution companies, ultimately targeting a capacity of 10 gigawatts, Bloomberg reported.
This initiative builds on previous efforts to create mini-grids in areas lacking access to the national power supply. Since its formation in 2021, GEAPP has facilitated the construction of interconnected mini-grids, with the first completed in December and two more under construction, along with funding secured for a fourth.
These facilities, operated by private developers, aim to supplement the limited hours of electricity provided by the national grid, enabling businesses and homes to access power around the clock. “We need hundreds or thousands of these projects across Nigeria to end energy poverty,” said Muhammad Wakil, GEAPP’s country delivery lead, during a site visit in Ogun State.
Nigeria currently has the highest number of people—approximately 86 million—without any electricity access, while the national grid generates just 4,000 megawatts for its 230 million residents. This is significantly lower than South Africa, which produces about six times that amount for a population a quarter the size.
Bloomberg highlighted GEAPP’s Demand Aggregation for Renewable Technology (DART) program, which pools resources among developers to reduce solar equipment costs. The program also includes a $25 million financing facility, allowing developers to import equipment at reduced costs and repay in Nigeria’s naira currency once revenue begins to flow.
“This approach has saved developers up to 30 percent,” Wakil noted. GEAPP also provides grants, loans, and technical support to mini-grid developers, leveraging a government rule that permits mini-grids to operate alongside the national grid.
The success of this initiative has prompted the World Bank to pledge $130 million to develop similar projects. The mini-grid in Ogun State, built by Nigerian company Darway Coast, is expected to deliver all-day electricity to the local community by the end of the year, replacing the current eight hours supplied by the distribution company.
The DART program is viewed as a model for the Mission 300 initiative announced by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. “Mission 300 is based on the Nigerian experience and aims to replicate this success across at least 15 African countries,” Wakil stated.
