Power Minister Commission 581kWp Solar Mini-Grid to Power 13,000 Residents, 23 Businesses in Kwara

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has commissioned a 581kWp interconnected solar mini-grid with a 1.4MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Oke-Oyi community, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The project, delivered under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS) and supported by the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), is expected to provide reliable electricity to about 1,800 households and businesses, serving an estimated population of 13,000 residents.

The extended battery capacity enables the mini-grid to power the community throughout the night, reinforcing the Federal Government’s drive toward universal energy access.

Speaking at the commissioning, Tegbe described IMAS as a model for how international partnership should work, noting that it leverages public funding to attract private developers, establishes clear market rules, and builds long-term commercial viability rather than dependence on perpetual subsidy.

“The purpose of electrification is ultimately to improve lives and create opportunities. What we are commissioning today in Oke-Oyi is an investment in the productive capacity of the community,” the Minister said.

“As we energize this community, we are also energizing businesses, creating opportunities, empowering young people, improving livelihoods, and building a more resilient future for Nigeria,” he added.

Tegbe urged the people of Oke-Oyi to guard the newly commissioned assets against vandalism and criminal interference, describing the mini-grid as an investment built for their benefit and for the prosperity of generations to come.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said Oke-Oyi demonstrates how interconnected mini-grids can combine distributed renewable energy with existing distribution networks to improve supply, attract private investment and support economic activity.

“The real measure of an electrification project is not only the infrastructure we commission, but the opportunities that reliable electricity creates for the people who use it,” Aliyu stated.

Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, commended the visible impact of the Federal Government’s power sector reforms across the state.

“Since this Minister of Power came on board, we have been enjoying stable electricity, not only in the cities, but also in the urban areas,” he said.

The project has already been linked to increased economic activity in Oke-Oyi, with 12 welding businesses, two pure water companies, four grain mills, four aluminium artisan businesses, an ice-block production business and a cold-room/ice-fish depot now operating in the community.

Three electricity vendors are currently operating, while three additional vendors, including a female entrepreneur, are expected to be registered.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nayo Tropical Technologies, Okenwa Anayo Nas, said about 180 households had so far been energised, with plans to expand coverage to 2,200 households. He added that electricity had been extended to more than five schools and about six public and private health facilities.

According to Anayo, businesses that previously spent about N200,000 monthly on diesel now spend less than N50,000 on electricity, with average household expenditure below N6,000 monthly. Customers currently pay less than N300 per kilowatt-hour.

The project was supported by the European Union, the German Government through GIZ, UNICEF and other development partners, with contributions from the Ministry of Power, Kwara State Government, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited.

The Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Karin Jansen, described the project as an example of how partnerships could help deliver sustainable energy solutions to communities with limited access to electricity.

“Today is more than connecting a community to electricity; it is about demonstrating what is possible when government, development partners, utilities, private-sector developers and communities work together towards a common objective,” Jansen said.

The facility comprises 1,336 solar panels and 84 batteries, supported by approximately 10 kilometres of distribution cables and transformers.

The construction phase of the project provided temporary employment opportunities for residents engaged as painters, welders, bricklayers, iron benders, tilers, plumbers, borehole diggers and excavation labourers.

The Oke-Oyi mini-grid adds to a growing portfolio of rural and off-grid electrification projects delivered under the Renewed Hope Agenda, as the government continues to expand access, strengthen energy security, and advance Nigeria’s transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.