The South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has finalized plans with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to expand power supply to rural communities across the Southeast, utilizing the National Renewable Energy Project established under Section 127 of the 2023 Electricity Act. The announcement was made on Friday following a strategic meeting between the Managing Director/CEO of SEDC, Mark Okoye, and the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu. Both agencies agreed to collaborate on extending electricity to underserved and unserved areas of the Southeast in a cost-effective manner, ensuring sustainable returns through appropriate tariffs designed to support the region’s social, industrial, and agricultural development. A key focus of the discussions was the deployment of renewable energy solutions, particularly Solar Mini-Grid projects, to power thousands of homes, especially in remote areas. Okoye emphasized the urgent need to attract private sector investment and engage key stakeholders to align with the Federal Government’s renewable energy drive. He also highlighted the significant power deficit in the Southeast, which continues to hinder the region’s economic growth and industrialization. Okoye urged the REA to support SEDC’s renewable energy initiatives, particularly those aimed at powering critical infrastructure projects set to launch soon. “Our discussions centered around deploying renewable energy solutions in unserved and underserved communities across the Southeast. We also explored how the REA can back alternative energy solutions for upcoming key infrastructure projects,” Okoye said. He reaffirmed the SEDC’s commitment to working with the REA to address the electricity shortages that are impeding the region’s development. In response, Abba Aliyu assured Okoye that the Southeast would fully benefit from the Federal Government’s energy initiatives. He reiterated the REA’s commitment to working closely with the SEDC to achieve its electrification goals. Aliyu also outlined several major projects under the REA, including the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES), and several other initiatives aimed at electrifying rural and underserved communities to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.
