Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement in the North Central, Dr Abiodun Essiet on Wednesday said that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has made significant strides in extending electricity to rural and underserved areas in the North Central region.
The intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for inclusive growth.
In a statement, Dr. Essiet said across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the agency has completed 85 grid extension projects, installed 6,089 standalone solar home systems and deployed 10,470 solar streetlights.
“It has also developed 131 solar mini-grids, electrifying 216 settlements and delivering a total of 42.8 megawatts (MW) of power.
A further 344 projects are in planning or implementation, promising 435,700 new connections and an additional 113.7 MW of capacity,” she noted.
According to her, these initiatives have boosted local economies, improved healthcare and education, and enhanced living standards for hundreds of thousands in the region.
The Federal Government she said has pledged to press ahead with efforts towards universal electricity access.
