By Munachimso Obienyi
The Federal Government has disbursed a total of $64.8 million and committed $392 million for the development of off-grid electrification projects in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Hence, the total commitment made by the government to steer the projects is estimated at $456.8 million, which is equivalent to N196.424 billion by today’s official dollar rate.
The Federal Government said the disbursements were done under the Nigeria Electrification Project being handled by the Rural Electrification Agency of the Federal Government. Under the NEP, a total of $550 million loan facility was made available to Nigeria by the World Bank and the African Development Bank with the target of providing off-grid electricity to 705,000 households.
It is to also provide electricity to 90,000 micro, small and medium enterprises, 100 isolation and treatment centres and 400 primary healthcare centres in unserved and under-served areas of Nigeria.
“It also targets the provision of captive solar hybrid power plants to 15 federal tertiary institutions and two teaching hospitals,” the Managing Director, REA, Ahmad Salihijo, told newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
