The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, has said that the agency is implementing programs aimed at providing electricity access to no fewer than 17.5 million Nigerians.

Aliyu stated this during an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday in Abuja following the agency’s 2025 Customer Service Week celebration, held in collaboration with SERVICOM.

Aliyu explained that the REA had already established an impressive number of mini-grids across the country and was implementing several ambitious programs to improve electricity access in rural and underserved communities.

He provided specific figures on the agency’s progress, stating: “We are working on a programme to provide electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians. That is an audacious target. Under the Rural Electrification Fund, we have deployed over 50 mini-grids. Under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme, we have deployed 11 mini-grids, not counting the number of transformers, power lines, and solar home systems we have also deployed.”

He further detailed the impact achieved so far, adding: “From our records, we have impacted over 10 million Nigerians, and we are counting more based on the new programmes we are designing and implementing. This has been achieved in the last five years under the Nigeria Electrification Programme. The Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme is only three years old, and we have already completed and commissioned several projects.”

Speaking on the significance of Customer Service Week, Aliyu said it offered an opportunity for self-assessment and accountability, as the agency’s mandate is to provide electricity access to over 80 million Nigerians who currently lack a reliable power supply.

He explained the purpose of the celebration: “This week helps us reflect and ask ourselves important questions — are we providing quality service? Are we timely? Are our services affordable? That is why we are doing this — to evaluate our performance. To the best of our ability, we are proud of the progress made so far, which aligns with the President’s drive to expand electricity access in Nigeria,” he said.

Aliyu recounted how a rural community in Balanga, Gombe State, which had been without electricity for over 30 years, is now on the path to electrification.

He offered an example of the impact: “We went to a community in Balanga that had not had electricity for more than 30 years. It’s a farming community with over 11,000 hectares of wheat fields. Working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, we are providing them with 620 kilowatts of power,” he said.

REA’s Executive Director of Technical Services, Umar Umar, said the agency had implemented numerous projects since its establishment in 2007, including grid extension, transformer installation, and mini-grid deployment.

He highlighted recent progress, saying: “In the last year alone, we have deployed more mini-grids than ever before. For the first time, we are delivering 40 megawatts of mini-grid power — the highest in a single budget year. We are also installing solar home systems, solar streetlights, and electric vehicle charging points, impacting millions of unserved Nigerians.”

The Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund, Doris Ubo, noted that the agency had executed about 50 mini-grid projects between 2016 and 2022 and has since scaled up to over 124 mini-grids nationwide.

She detailed the comprehensive approach being taken, stating: “We have developed both interconnected and isolated mini-grids, as well as solar home systems, to ensure last-mile communities are not left behind. Recently, we launched a project targeting 3,700 communities, which will add 370 megawatts of clean energy to the national mix and impact more than 40 million people,” Ubo said.

REA’s Executive Director of Corporate Services, Ayo Adegboyega, reaffirmed that the agency’s core mandate is to bridge the energy access gap by providing power to unserved and underserved communities.

He outlined the ongoing work, saying: “We are deploying numerous mini-grids across the country and extending existing grids to reach more communities,” he said, adding that the agency had received encouraging feedback from beneficiaries.

Adegboyega also highlighted the agency’s Energising Education Programme, designed to provide captive power to universities and polytechnics.

He listed the institutions that have benefited from the program: “We have delivered power projects at the University of Benin, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Calabar, and are extending the programme to Obafemi Awolowo University and several polytechnics,” he said.

The Acting Director, Monitoring and Evaluation Department and REA Servicom Nordal/Focus Officer, Eworo Echeng commended the agency’s commitment to improving the quality of life in rural communities through sustainable power solutions.

He stressed the agency’s overarching goal: “In celebrating Customer Service Week, we recognise those performing exceptionally well. As an intervention agency, our responsibility goes beyond providing electricity — it’s about improving lives and livelihoods. Every project we execute must ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of location or status, has access to reliable power,” he said.