…REA advances power supply with 17.7MW Ibadan mini-grid
Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power has said there was no plan to increase electricity tariffs, saying the Federal Government is prioritising improved power supply across the country.
This is coming as the Federal Ministry of Power, through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), performed groundbreaking ceremony for a 17.7MW interconnected mini-grid in Ibadan, Oyo State, marking another significant step in the drive to deploy new generation capacity, strengthen electricity reliability and stimulate economic activity across Nigerian communities.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Power said, “what we are planning is a power sector that works around the clock. Our commitment is 24/7 power. I want to say this clearly and without ambiguity: there is no plan to increase electricity tariffs.”
The Power Minister urged Nigerians to disregard reports of a possible tariff increase, saying Government’s priority is to ensure reliable electricity supply.
The projects, located in Bola, Jiboye, Molade-Adelubi, Ogo Oluwa and Sooko-Elega, are expected to provide electricity to communities across Akinyele, Ido, Ibadan North, Egbeda and Lagelu Local Government Areas of Oyo State.
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Developed by Paras Energy & Natural Resources Development Limited, the project will provide additional generation capacity to serve Bola, Jiboye, Ogo-Oluwa, Molade-Adelubi and Sooko Elega communities within the Iwo Road axis of Ibadan.
The intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy of complementing improvements in the national grid with decentralised generation solutions that bring new power closer to areas of demand. Upon completion, the project is expected to significantly improve the reliability and duration of electricity supply within the beneficiary communities, with a target of a minimum of 20 hours of supply daily.
He said the project demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing available electricity, strengthening reliability and ensuring that improvements in the power sector translate directly into economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Stressing that the Federal Government is pursuing an energy strategy aimed at improving electricity supply through designated energy corridors, including the Lagos-Ogun, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, and Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors, he added that plans were underway to strengthen the national grid and improve generation and transmission infrastructure across the eastern, western and central parts of the country.
According to the minister, the interconnected mini-grid projects would expand electricity access in beneficiary communities, reduce dependence on petrol and diesel generators, and create a more favourable environment for businesses, investment and job creation.
Earlier, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, said the 17.7MW Ibadan project reflects the scale and ambition of the new generation of distributed renewable energy projects being developed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that REA’s priority is increasingly centred on deploying generation capacity where it can deliver the greatest economic impact while leveraging private-sector investment and sustainable operating models.
“This groundbreaking is about more than 17.7 megawatts of new generation capacity. It is about what that capacity will enable. Reliable electricity means longer operating hours for businesses, lower dependence on expensive self-generation, increased productivity, new investment and ultimately more jobs and economic opportunities”, he noted.
Aliyu added that the Ibadan project forms part of a much larger pipeline of investments being facilitated by the Agency.
“Across Nigeria, we are demonstrating that distributed energy can move beyond addressing electricity access alone to becoming an important pillar of electricity reliability and economic development. From the interconnected mini-grids we have already broken ground on in different parts of the country to the new generation capacity now coming into Ibadan, our objective remains consistent: reliable electricity that powers productive economies”, he added.
Upon completion, the Ibadan project will include the deployment of 18 new transformers to strengthen electricity distribution within the beneficiary communities.
REA is also advancing an additional 17.7MW of projects in Ibadan, targeted at strategic institutions and economic centres including the University College Hospital, University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Together, these interventions demonstrate a deliberate strategy to build clusters of reliable generation capacity around communities, public institutions and centres of economic activity.
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