FG Targets 23,870 Yobe Households, Businesses in 13.92MWp Mini-grid Rollout

Nearly 24,000 households and businesses in Yobe State are set to gain electricity access as the federal government scales up a combined 29.22 megawatt-peak solar mini-grid programme across the state — one of the agency’s largest state-wide rural electrification pushes to date.

The figures span two phases: a 13.92MWp interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid scheme across Damaturu, Bade, Nguru and Potiskum, and a further 14 projects in the pipeline with a combined capacity of 15.3MWp, expected to deliver 23,870 new connections once completed.

The project is being executed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) with support from the World Bank, and falls under the federal government’s plan to boost power sector infrastructure.

At the groundbreaking ceremony for the project spanning a total of 13.92 megawatt-peak (MWp) interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid projects across five key locations in Yobe State, on Wednesday, the state government, Mai Mala Buni, highlighted the state’s progress in electrifying public institutions, rural communities, and educational centers.

The governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the REA for its operational commitment, noting that the projects align with his administration’s vision for resilient infrastructural growth designed to boost local industrial capacity and agricultural productivity.

The initiative targets major commercial and residential hubs, deploying a 1.76 MWp solar installation serving the Waziri Ibrahim Estate in Damaturu, a 2.98 MWp system in Gashua (Bade), a 3.20 MWp installation in Nguru, and two developments in Potiskum, a 3.20 MWp plant at Yarimaram and a 2.78 MWp project at Rugan Fulani.

The managing director and chief executive officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, explained that the interconnected hybrid mini-grids are engineered to integrate seamlessly with existing distribution networks to supply reliable, affordable solar power to households, enterprise hubs, and public institutions throughout the state.

“We are not merely connecting communities to electricity. We are connecting them to opportunity. We are creating an environment where businesses can grow, young people can innovate, farmers can process more of what they produce, healthcare facilities can provide better services, and local economies can flourish,” Dr Aliyu stated.

Tracing the origin of the project, he noted, “Today’s event did not happen by chance. It is the product of deliberate planning and strategic collaboration. On 26th June 2025, the Rural Electrification Agency convened the REA–Yobe State Strategic Roundtable with the Government of Yobe State under the theme ‘Powering Yobe, Powering Growth: Unlocking Energy Access for Agriculture, Innovation, and Local Investment.’ That engagement culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the REA and the Yobe State Government, reaffirming our shared commitment to accelerating electricity access, attracting private sector investment, and unlocking the economic potential of Yobe State. Today’s groundbreaking is a direct outcome of that strategic engagement and demonstrates that when visionary leadership is matched with purposeful collaboration, transformational projects become a reality.”

He noted that beyond the 13.92MWp developments, the Rural Electrification Agency has 14 additional pipeline projects underway across Yobe State with a combined capacity of 15.3MWp, expected to deliver electricity access to 23,870 new connections.

These ongoing initiatives cover Jawur Katamma, Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Dibbwol, Dogonkuka, Malori, Turmi, Zangaya, Dole, and Falimaran, as well as supplementary interconnected mini-grids in Gashua, Nguru, Rugan Fulani, Waziri Ibrahim, and Yarimaram with a combined capacity of 13.6MW.

This project follows recent REA groundbreaking projects by the agency including a 20MW mini-grid in Egume (Kogi State), a 1.5MW mini-grid in Pankshin (Plateau State), an 11.9MWp project in Ogu-Bolo (Rivers State), a 10MW project in Kofare (Adamawa State), and a 3.5MW mini-grid in Ambursa (Kebbi State).