More than 85 million Nigerians, representing about 40 per cent of the country’s population, still do not have reliable access to grid electricity, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, has disclosed.
Aliyu made the disclosure in Abuja during the signing of a joint development agreement between the REA and Ecotech Development Nigeria Limited to establish a solar panel and battery assembly and manufacturing facility in Nigeria.
He said that despite ongoing efforts to expand electricity access through renewable energy initiatives, millions of Nigerians remain underserved.
According to him, the REA has made significant progress through programmes such as the Nigerian Electrification Project and the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up Project, but the electricity access gap remains substantial.
He stressed that the agency’s core mandate is to bridge that gap by accelerating access to reliable power across the country.
Describing the agreement with Ecotech as a major milestone, Aliyu said it marks the first time a tier-one Chinese renewable energy company has committed to establishing solar manufacturing and assembly operations in Nigeria.
He noted that the project would strengthen the country’s renewable energy sector while reducing dependence on imported equipment.
Aliyu lamented that virtually every solar installation in Nigeria currently relies on foreign-made components, arguing that the country has been exporting jobs, technical expertise and valuable foreign exchange by importing solar panels, batteries and inverters.
He said local production would help retain investment within the economy and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
He also explained that the arrangement is non-exclusive and will operate in line with existing public procurement regulations.
The Managing Director of Ecotech Development Nigeria, John Zhao, said the company would manufacture and assemble solar panels, battery storage systems and hybrid inverters for residential, commercial and industrial users.
He added that Ecotech would also provide engineering design, system integration, installation and long-term maintenance services, expressing confidence that the investment would boost Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and expand access to clean electricity.
