The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to electrify 15 public health and education facilities in Nigeria using solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
The agreement, signed on February 23, 2026, provides a $700,000 grant from ECOWAS under the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), a regional initiative supported by the World Bank. The project marks the formal commencement of Nigeria’s pilot implementation phase under ROGEAP.
According to details of the agreement, the grant will support the installation of solar PV systems in rural health centres and schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger State, and Nasarawa State. REA will serve as the technical and financial implementing agency.
A dedicated Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established within REA to coordinate execution in collaboration with the ROGEAP PIU and an oversight Steering Committee.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, REA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the agreement as a demonstration of regional collaboration aimed at expanding electricity access to critical public institutions.
He stated that electrifying health centres and schools is expected to improve healthcare service delivery, enhance learning environments, and strengthen community development outcomes.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, noted that Nigeria’s pilot phase represents part of the bloc’s broader strategy to address energy poverty across West Africa and the Sahel. He added that the deployment of solar solutions to public facilities reflects efforts to localise regional financing for community-level impact.
In a related development, REA signed a separate MoU with the Niger State Government to enable state-level collaboration and co-financing for selected sites. The subnational agreement is designed to facilitate access to ECOWAS funding while ensuring counterpart support for installations within the state.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago described the initiative as aligned with the state’s infrastructure development agenda and confirmed the state government’s commitment to providing counterpart support.
The project is expected to reduce reliance on diesel generators in targeted facilities, lower operational costs, and contribute to Nigeria’s clean energy transition goals. It also aligns with national policies aimed at expanding off-grid electricity access and promoting renewable energy deployment.
Established under Section 127 of the Electricity Act 2023, REA operates under the Federal Ministry of Power with a mandate to electrify unserved and underserved communities. Through programmes such as the Nigeria Electrification Project and Solar Power Naija, the agency continues to leverage regional and international partnerships to expand sustainable energy access nationwide.
The ECOWAS-backed pilot under ROGEAP represents an incremental step in scaling decentralised renewable energy solutions for public institutions in Nigeria and across the region.
