REA Seeks $2bn To Power 80 million Rural Dwellers

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Wednesday said over $2bn was required to power 80 million Nigerians who currently lack electricity and reside mostly in rural areas across the country.

REA’s Managing Director, Malam Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, disclosed this in his welcome remarks at the REA-National Assembly workshop on rural electrification programmes, legislation, implementation and sustainability in Abuja.

He said the workshop was to draw the attention of the lawmakers to the resources the agency required for its operation, especially in the 2021 budget.

Ahmad said the off-grid subsector of the power industry was required to meet the needs of the unserved population.

He said, “The concern of the agency is not just to have electricity but a consideration of the transformation of economies with the provision of power.

“The most important is that we have a gap of over $2bn which we require to power 80 million Nigerians who do not currently have electricity.”

The Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, called for the deployment of renewable energy to support the grid and close energy gap particularly in rural communities.