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FG Deploys Additional Mini-Grids in Rural Communities

Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor 

The Federal Government at the weekend disclosed that it has increased the deployment of mini-grids in order to boost power supply in rural communities, as well as help reduce the effect of the recent removal of subsidy on petrol.

According to a statement issued by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Abuja on Sunday, the mini-grids would provide “24/7” electricity in the communities where they have been deployed.

The Managing Director of REA, Ahmed Salihijo, who just inspected the 200 Kilowatt peak (KWp) Solar Hybrid Mini-Grid in Danchitagi Community, Lavun Local Government Area (LGA), Niger State, said that the facility, just like others, would cut down the volume of petrol purchased by beneficiaries of the community.

Salihijo explained that through the Nigeria Electrification Project-Performance Based Grant (NEP-PBG) initiative, over 80 similar mini-grids had been deployed across the country, ensuring equitable access to electricity. He said that the 200KWp mini-grid in Danchitagi Community was built in order to supply uninterrupted electricity to the area, which hosts about 2,670 people, who were predominantly farmers.

The REA Boss expressed that among the 534 consumers of electricity from the facility, 13 of them use it for services such as tailoring, welding, refrigeration, and milling of rice, as well as other farm produce.

In his own words, “from the feedback we are getting, most people actually rely on petrol generators, and with this mini-grid, it means that they are going to buy less of that petrol. That means with the subsidy removal, this could serve as a palliative that will help them cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy.”

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