NASENI, REA Sign MoU To Boost Local Renewable Energy Production

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote locally manufactured renewable energy technologies in line with the federal government’s Nigeria First Policy.

The agreement aimed at strengthening local production capacity and expanding access to renewable energy solutions across the country was signed yesterday at the headquarters of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the agency was committed to bridging the gap between research, production and commercialization to ensure innovations become market-ready products.

Halilu said NASENI would scale up renewable energy production, including solar panels and streetlights, through initiatives such as DefFrontier, to deepen local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported technologies.

According to him, the partnership will enable NASENI to meet the renewable energy needs of REA while supporting the growth of Nigeria’s off-grid electricity sector.

He explained that rather than relying continuously on imported technologies, machines and equipment for renewable energy development, NASENI would focus on domesticating production processes and expanding the use of locally developed energy solutions.

Managing director and chief executive officer of REA, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the partnership as strategic and capable of accelerating the growth of Nigeria’s renewable energy ecosystem.

Aliyu said while NASENI would provide manufacturing and technological support for renewable energy equipment, REA would concentrate on deploying solutions to improve electricity access in rural communities.

Also speaking, the director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale Abraham Adedokun, said the Nigeria First Policy reflected the federal government’s commitment to strengthening local content, ensuring value for money and promoting accountability in public procurement.

He stressed that implementation of the agreement would be performance-based and subject to strict monitoring to ensure compliance and measurable outcomes.

Under the agreement, implementation will be coordinated through NASENI’s subsidiary, NASENI Devfrontier Green Energy FZE, and REA’s limited liability company, RAMco.

The arrangement provides for REA to offtake photovoltaic modules, inverters and energy storage batteries produced by NASENI-Devfrontier directly or through approved distributors and manufacturing partners.

REA is also expected to provide institutional support to facilitate NASENI’s participation in electrification projects, encourage engagement with developers and contractors under its programmes and promote the adoption of standardized, high-quality photovoltaic technologies across its operations.

The partnership is expected to deepen collaboration between both agencies, expand renewable energy deployment and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported energy technologies.