The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially commenced the deployment of decentralised renewable energy infrastructure expected to add over 60.82 megawatts (MW) of solar-generated electricity to the national power grid.
​The announcement was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony held on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, for a flagship 13.92-megawatt-peak (MWp) interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid project across multiple sites in Yobe State.
​Implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) with financial and technical support from the World Bank, the newly launched Yobe initiative brings total recent mini-grid deployments nationwide to 60.82MW.
The Yobe initiative spans four Local Government Areas—Damaturu, Potiskum, Nguru, and Bade—and will be reinforced by 40 distribution transformers to enhance grid capacity.
​Speaking at the groundbreaking event, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni highlighted the economic transformational potential of the installation:
​”This project represents one of the largest interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid investments in Northern Nigeria. Reliable power directly supports our state’s economic vision to drive industrialization, boost agricultural processing, and empower local entrepreneurs.”
​Addressing attendees, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), emphasized the broader strategic mandate:
​”We are not merely connecting communities to electricity; we are connecting them to opportunity. Interconnected hybrid mini-grids are engineered to integrate seamlessly with existing distribution networks while expanding access to underserved areas.”
Dr. Aliyu added that the REA has 14 additional renewable projects totaling 15.3MWp currently in the development pipeline for Yobe State, targeted at expanding access to institutions such as Federal Polytechnic Damaturu and surrounding rural agrarian clusters.
