REA, Mente Energy Partner On Renewable Energy Localisation Drive

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and Mente Energy Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formally launch the Renewable Energy Localisation and Industrialisation Programme (RELIP).

The programme is designed to structure Nigeria’s renewable energy market to catalyse investment, generate skilled industrial employment and build a domestic clean-energy manufacturing base in partnership with global capital.

Nigeria is one of Africa’s most dynamic renewable-energy markets as both the public and private sectors adoption is accelerating with millions of solar home systems, hundreds
of mini-grids and growing commercial and industrial uptake.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, managing director/CEO of REA, Abba Aliyu, said Nigeria built significant momentum in decentralised renewable energy but until now, the economic value of that deployment has largely flowed offshore.

“By organising our national demand and building the institutional architecture to support domestic manufacturing, we are creating the conditions for investment, jobs and industrial growth to take root on Nigerian soil.

“The REA is proud to lead this programme and we welcome partners – Nigerian and international – who share our commitment to building a clean-energy industrial base that serves Nigeria first,”he said.

The founder and managing partner of Mente Energy,
Tolu Osekita, said Nigeria’s renewable-energy market is one of the most significant industrial opportunities of
this decade.

“What RELIP does is put structure around that opportunity so that capital of every origin can invest here with greater confidence and at greater scale.

“Grounded in Nigeria-first principles, this is about catalysing the maximum economic opportunity for our country – factories, jobs, investment and industrial growth built on Nigerian soil, in partnership with the world.
We are proud to stand alongside the REA in leading this work,” Osekita said.

The MoU establishes a five-year framework for strategic collaboration – with RELIP identified as the first priority workstream am phase 1 will be delivered over approximately six months, establishing the commercial, analytical and institutional foundations required for NREIF launch and subsequent capital mobilisation.