FG Deploys 581kWp Solar Mini-grid to Boost Electricity Supply in Kwara Community

The federal government has commissioned a 581-kilowatt peak (kWp) interconnected solar mini-grid equipped with a 1.4-megawatt (MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The project is expected to provide more reliable electricity to about 1,800 businesses and households while supporting commercial activities in the community and surrounding areas.

The extended battery-storage capacity is designed to enable the mini-grid to meet electricity demand beyond daylight hours, including at night. The project is also expected to support enterprises such as welding, grain milling, pure-water production, aluminium works, ice-block production and cold-room operations.

The initiative was delivered under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS), with support from the European Union, the German Government through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), UNICEF and other development partners. It was developed by Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Commissioning the project on Thursday, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, described the Oke-Oyi mini-grid as a model for expanding electricity access through commercially sustainable partnerships.

According to him, IMAS demonstrates how public-sector intervention can reduce the risks associated with energy infrastructure projects, establish predictable market arrangements and attract private capital without creating permanent dependence on government subsidies.

“IMAS demonstrates how strategic public funding can de-risk energy infrastructure, establish clear market mechanics and build long-term commercial viability for private developers,” Tegbe said.

He added that the project would do more than provide electricity, arguing that reliable power could help businesses expand, create employment opportunities, improve household welfare and strengthen the local economy.

“As we energise this community, we are also energising businesses, creating opportunities, empowering young people, improving livelihoods and building a more resilient future for Nigeria,” the minister said.

Tegbe commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for pursuing reforms aimed at improving the reliability, sustainability and investment appeal of Nigeria’s electricity sector.

He also urged residents to protect the solar panels, battery system and other infrastructure against vandalism and criminal interference.

The minister said the assets had been delivered for the benefit of the community and should be preserved to serve present and future generations.

The managing director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the Oke-Oyi project demonstrated how distributed renewable-energy systems could work alongside existing electricity-distribution networks.

He said the mini-grid’s integration with IBEDC’s network could improve supply reliability, increase electricity availability for productive activities and support a more sustainable revenue model for the project’s operator, Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited.

Aliyu said the agency was working to scale up similar projects through improved financing arrangements, clearer regulations and stronger institutional support.

He added that the long-term success of interconnected mini-grids would depend on commercial viability, effective maintenance and active community participation.

The REA chief executive commended the Federal Ministry of Power, the Kwara State Government, international development partners, IBEDC and Nayo Tropical Technologies for their contributions to the project.

Representing the Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, said reliable electricity was critical to the development of rural communities.

He said improved power supply could reduce the pressure on residents to relocate to cities in search of jobs and better economic opportunities.

“Since this minister of Power came on board, we have been enjoying stable electricity, not only in the cities, but also in the urban areas,” Danladi-Salihu said.

He said his background in a rural constituency had reinforced his understanding of the role of electricity in reducing rural-to-urban migration and promoting grassroots development.

“As the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and being from a rural area, we understand the importance of electricity in taming rural-urban migration,” he said.

The speaker commended Tegbe for aligning the project with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and for prioritising electricity access beyond major urban centres.

The Oke-Oyi project forms part of wider efforts by the Federal Government and its development partners to expand renewable-energy infrastructure, improve energy access and stimulate economic activity in underserved communities.