By Abdullahi Lukman

Osun State’s Imole Solar Lamp has received international recognition at the 2026 IEEE Smart Cities Awards, earning a Special Mention for its people-centred approach to clean energy and community development.

The recognition places the Osun initiative among projects from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas recognised for advancing sustainable, resilient and smarter communities.

The Imole Solar Lamp, developed by the Osun State Government, is a solar-powered lighting solution designed to improve access to reliable and clean lighting, particularly in communities facing energy-access challenges.

The award highlights Osun’s broader effort to integrate renewable energy and climate action into its development strategy. The state has been pursuing initiatives covering climate governance, renewable energy, waste management, circular economy programmes and climate-resilience planning.

Prof. Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe, Director-General and Special Envoy to the Governor of Osun State on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, said the recognition demonstrates that smart-city innovation can extend beyond advanced digital technologies.

“For us, smart cities are not only about sophisticated technology or digital infrastructure.

A city is smart when innovation improves the everyday lives of its people, expands access to opportunity and builds resilience,” she said.

The IEEE awards recognised a range of projects, including digital-twin platforms, artificial-intelligence systems, flood-resilience infrastructure, environmental monitoring technologies and digital public services.

Against this backdrop, the recognition of the Imole Solar Lamp underscores the role of relatively simple, locally relevant technologies in addressing basic challenges such as energy access.

Across Nigeria, unreliable electricity and limited access to affordable energy continue to affect education, livelihoods, safety and economic activity, particularly in underserved communities. Solar technology provides an alternative source of lighting while reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-based energy.

“People should be able to see what climate action means in their own lives. It can mean cleaner energy, better livelihoods, reduced vulnerability or a new economic opportunity,” she said.

The state is also developing a Climate Action Plan and Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, alongside renewable-energy policy frameworks and measures aimed at attracting climate-related investment and strengthening climate governance.

The recognition has also broadened the discussion around what constitutes a smart city, particularly in developing regions where basic infrastructure remains a priority.

While smart-city development is often associated with artificial intelligence, sensors, data platforms and digital infrastructure, initiatives such as the Imole Solar Lamp demonstrate how appropriate technology can also contribute to smarter and more resilient communities.

“We are interested in technology that works for people,” Obuaku-Igwe said. “Innovation does not have to be complicated to be transformative.”

The formal presentation of the IEEE Smart Cities Awards certificates is expected to take place at the IEEE International Smart Cities Conference (ISC2 2026) in Porto, Portugal, scheduled for October 26–30.

For Osun, the recognition provides an opportunity to highlight how locally developed renewable-energy solutions can contribute to broader efforts to improve energy access, strengthen climate resilience and advance sustainable development.

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By Abbas Nazil

The North East Development Commission is strengthening its institutional systems through the adoption of International Organization for Standardization standards to improve the delivery of electric mobility, renewable energy and other development programmes across the region.

The commission’s Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, said the move would strengthen decision-making and ensure that NEDC interventions are guided by internationally recognised management standards.

Alkali spoke in Abuja during the opening of a three-day ISO Executive Retreat for senior management of the commission.

He described the certification process as an important milestone for NEDC, but stressed that obtaining certification should not be regarded as the final objective.

According to him, the effectiveness of the standards would ultimately be determined by how they are applied in the commission’s daily operations and reflected in decisions concerning development projects.

He said major interventions covering roads, schools, healthcare facilities, water supply, livelihoods, mobility and energy require effective investment systems, proper planning, monitoring and sound management to achieve their intended objectives.

Alkali said the executive retreat was aligned with the North-East Master Plan, particularly in the areas of planning, accountability, risk management, coordination and performance monitoring.

He explained that while the master plan establishes what NEDC is expected to deliver across the region, the quality of leadership, institutional systems and collective commitment would determine how effectively those objectives are achieved.

The NEDC Managing Director said the commission was working towards meeting five key requirements covering quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, anti-bribery management and sustainable development within communities.

He added that the training formed part of the NEDC Excellence Forum held in Maiduguri, Borno State, where staff on Levels 6 to 13 were introduced to the application of the standards in their routine responsibilities.

According to Alkali, the Abuja executive retreat was designed to give senior management a deeper understanding of governance, risk management, accountability and sustainable programme delivery.

He said senior officials had a particularly important role in ensuring that the standards become part of the commission’s institutional culture rather than remaining limited to certification requirements.

The Acting Head of Governance and Compliance Service Reforms at NEDC, Fatima Dalhatu, urged participants to take the training seriously and ensure that the knowledge gained is translated into improved performance.

Dalhatu said the North-East Master Plan provides the strategic direction for the commission, while the Integrated Management System requires discipline and collective commitment to achieve its objectives.

She stressed that responsibility for implementing ISO standards should not be left solely to the Governance and Compliance Service.

According to her, the department can coordinate the process, but senior management must take ownership of the system and ensure that the standards are integrated into the commission’s operations.

She warned that without ownership by senior management, the exercise could result in certificates being obtained without corresponding improvements in institutional practices and programme delivery.

The retreat is therefore expected to strengthen the capacity of NEDC senior officials to apply internationally recognised standards in planning, governance, environmental management, risk control and sustainable development as the commission implements its interventions across the North-East.

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Ghana’s updated Renewable Energy Master Plan for 2026 to 2030 is setting significantly higher targets for solar and wind power, but the country’s previous implementation record and unresolved institutional challenges could make the new ambitions difficult to achieve.

The revised plan builds on the 2019 Renewable Energy Master Plan, which was designed to guide renewable energy development through 2030 across solar, wind, biomass and hydropower.

The earlier plan targeted an increase in renewable energy generation capacity from 42.5 megawatts in 2015 to more than 1,363 megawatts, including over 1,094 megawatts from grid-connected systems.

It also sought to expand decentralised electricity access, reduce dependence on biomass for thermal applications and promote greater local participation in the renewable energy industry.

The updated plan sets a target of 852 megawatt-peak of utility-scale solar and 709 megawatt-peak of utility-scale wind between 2026 and 2030.

Achieving the solar target is estimated to require about $631 million in investment, while the wind target is expected to require approximately $999 million.

The plan also places Ghana’s total investment requirement for the 2026-2030 implementation cycle at about $10.8 billion, nearly twice the $5.6 billion investment projected for the entire implementation period of the 2019 plan.

The scale of the new financial requirement has raised questions about how Ghana will mobilise the capital needed to translate the targets into operating projects, particularly because financing was already identified as a major constraint during the earlier implementation cycles.

Performance under the previous plan has been mixed, with stronger progress recorded in some distributed renewable energy applications than in utility-scale projects.

Utility-scale solar capacity was expected to reach 347.5 megawatt-peak by the end of the second implementation cycle, but actual deployment stood at 183.1 megawatt-peak, representing about 53 per cent of the target.

Distributed solar performed better, reaching 86 megawatt-peak against a target of 100 megawatt-peak, equivalent to 86 per cent progress.

Utility-scale wind, however, recorded no deployment against a target of 275 megawatt-peak by the end of the 2021-2025 cycle.

The weak performance in utility-scale wind presents a particularly significant challenge because the updated plan now seeks to add 709 megawatt-peak of utility-scale wind capacity within only five years.

The updated master plan also identifies institutional weaknesses that have affected implementation.

A Renewable Energy Authority proposed under the earlier plan has yet to become operational, while the Renewable Energy Fund has also faced challenges that have affected its ability to provide financial support for renewable energy development.

A coordinating unit for the master plan has also not been established, with uncertainty over whether it should be located within the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition or the Energy Commission contributing to the delay.

The absence of a fully operational coordination and monitoring structure has also affected data collection, reporting and evaluation of progress.

Despite these challenges, Ghana continues to expand its renewable energy ambitions.

The United Nations Development Programme said the updated master plan targets 852 megawatt-peak of utility-scale solar, 709 megawatt-peak of wind, 127 megawatts of new hydropower and 440 mini-grids for rural and island communities.

It also includes targets for 1.1 million solar lanterns, expanded biofuel production and improved cookstoves.

The plan is expected to require about $10.8 billion in investment and could create more than 353,000 jobs across manufacturing, installation, operations and research.

Ghana’s Energy Commission has also said the country intends to pursue its energy transition at its own pace, with energy efficiency, renewable energy and nuclear power forming key elements of the transition while natural gas serves as a strategic transitional fuel.

The Commission has identified increased utility-scale solar, energy-efficient technologies and electric mobility as part of the broader transition agenda.

Recent discussions among energy stakeholders have nevertheless highlighted financing as a central issue.

Stakeholders have called for financing mechanisms that can support Ghana’s transition without creating unsustainable debt burdens, while the government has said it is working with financial institutions, development finance institutions and multilateral banks to mobilise capital.

The Ministry has also said renewable energy capacity currently stands at about 342.5 megawatts across utility-scale, rooftop and stand-alone systems, with a target of more than 1,400 megawatts by 2030.

The implementation of the 2026-2030 master plan will therefore depend not only on the scale of its targets but also on Ghana’s ability to mobilise investment, strengthen institutions, improve monitoring and convert planned projects into operational renewable energy capacity.

The coming five years will provide a test of whether the lessons from the previous master plan can be translated into faster implementation and whether Ghana can close the gap between its renewable energy ambitions and actual deployment.

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By Abbas Nazil

The European Union and Kwara State Government are assessing the progress of EU-backed health programmes while preparing to deepen cooperation on renewable energy and other development priorities in the state.

The review was conducted during a two-day visit by an EU delegation led by Massimo De Luca, Head of Partnerships at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

The delegation met senior officials of the state government to examine the impact of ongoing interventions and discuss areas requiring additional cooperation.

Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi represented Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the meeting.

Representatives of the German Embassy, UNICEF and UNFPA also took part in the engagement.

De Luca said the mission provided an opportunity to assess what the partnership had delivered for communities and determine how the cooperation could be strengthened.

At the centre of the discussions was the EU-funded Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health programme, EU-SARAH.

The four-year programme is implemented by UNICEF and UNFPA alongside Nigerian government institutions in Adamawa, Kwara and Sokoto states.

In Kwara, the programme focuses on strengthening health services, improving workforce capacity, supporting family planning, increasing the use of data and promoting community engagement.

Women, children and adolescents are among the key groups targeted by the interventions.

De Luca said increased EU support should be accompanied by stronger domestic investment and government ownership.

He said the EU was interested in understanding how much the Kwara Government was investing in the health sector as external support continued to grow.

Alabi said Kwara valued its partnership with the EU and other development partners.

He said accessible and reliable health services remained important to improving health outcomes across the state.

The deputy governor said the government would continue working with development partners to improve coordination, strengthen evidence-based decision-making and increase its contribution to healthcare.

Karin Jansen, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, said the mission demonstrated a shared commitment to Nigeria’s development priorities.

She also drew attention to the role of renewable energy in strengthening health services and supporting sustainable development.

Jansen said reliable clean energy was an important component of the wider partnership and expressed interest in understanding the state’s priorities and how development partners could complement existing efforts.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, said EU-SARAH had helped Kwara identify gaps in its health system and direct resources towards priority areas.

She said the programme had supported improvements in health infrastructure, referral systems, family planning and services for adolescents and young people.

According to her, the state had also provided counterpart funding for family planning commodities as part of efforts to sustain healthcare interventions.

The EU delegation is expected to visit health facilities and communities during the mission.

The visits will enable members of the delegation to interact with frontline health workers and beneficiaries while assessing the results of EU-supported interventions.

The mission will also examine opportunities for additional cooperation between the state government and development partners.

As part of the renewable energy component of the visit, the delegation is scheduled to attend the commissioning of an EU-Germany co-funded solar mini-grid in Kwara.

The project forms part of Team Europe’s wider investment in renewable energy and is expected to support cleaner energy access alongside the partnership’s health and sustainable development objectives.

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By Awyetu Asabe Hope

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has announced a 20-minute interruption of power supply in parts of Suleja and environs on Saturday, September 26, 2026, as part of its annual preventive maintenance programme.

The maintenance of the Gwarinpa–Suleja 132/33kV Line 2 bay switchgear and associated equipment is scheduled to take place between 1pm and 4pm.

In a statement on Friday, TCN said the exercise would require a temporary interruption to enable the transfer of load from Gwarinpa–Suleja Line 2 to Kubwa–Suleja Line 1.

It said customers of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company in Suleja Township, FCT College of Education, Field Base, Zuba, Sabon Wuse and surrounding areas would be affected.

TCN explained that the load transfer would allow the maintenance work to be carried out safely without causing a prolonged outage.

“The interruption is to enable the transfer of load from Gwarinpa–Suleja Line 2 to Kubwa–Suleja Line 1 to facilitate the maintenance exercise without a prolonged outage,” the company said.

The transmission company apologised to affected customers for the inconvenience, adding that the exercise was aimed at maintaining the reliability of the transmission network.

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By Abbas Nazil

Morocco and the United Arab Emirates are exploring stronger cooperation in renewable energy and industry as the two countries seek to expand collaboration in areas of shared economic and strategic interest.

The discussions took place in New York on Friday between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors, with renewable energy identified as one of the key areas for further collaboration.

The two officials reviewed the longstanding relationship between Morocco and the UAE and examined opportunities to deepen cooperation in priority sectors.

Their discussions also covered ongoing cooperation under the UAE-led Integrative Industrial Partnership initiative, which seeks to promote industrial cooperation and sustainable economic development.

The meeting formed part of wider diplomatic engagements by Bourita in New York during the UN General Assembly, where Morocco has been holding discussions with international partners on bilateral, regional and global issues.

The renewable energy discussions come as both countries continue to pursue economic diversification and greater investment in emerging industries and clean-energy technologies.

The UAE has continued to promote renewable energy and advanced technology as part of its broader industrial and economic development strategy, while Morocco has also placed renewable energy and industrial development among areas of economic cooperation with international partners.

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology said the officials discussed ways to expand cooperation in areas of shared priority.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to review bilateral relations and identify areas where existing cooperation could be strengthened.

Bourita separately held meetings in New York with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Lebanese Foreign Minister and Emigrants Youssef Rajji.

Those discussions covered bilateral relations, cooperation across several fields and ways to strengthen ties between Morocco and the two countries.

The officials also exchanged views on regional and international developments of common interest and discussed coordination within international organisations, according to Morocco’s Foreign Ministry.

The talks involving Bourita and Al Jaber are part of a broader series of meetings taking place around the 81st UN General Assembly, where governments are using the gathering to discuss economic partnerships, energy, climate action and other international priorities.

The UAE’s engagement at the UN General Assembly has also included discussions on renewable energy, climate action, advanced technology and other areas linked to sustainable development.

Al Jaber currently serves as the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and has responsibilities linked to the country’s industrial development and advanced technology agenda.

He also serves as Chairman of Masdar, the UAE’s clean-energy developer, and as the country’s Special Envoy for Climate Change.

The latest discussions provide another platform for Morocco and the UAE to examine opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy and industry alongside their wider bilateral relationship.

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Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for increased investment and stronger partnerships to expand access to reliable and affordable renewable energy in Lagos and across Africa.

Sanwo-Olu made the call on Monday, after participating in the Global Renewables Summit in New York, held as part of Climate Week NYC.

The governor said Lagos, with a population of more than 24 million, needed urgent action to address its growing energy demands. He stressed that access to clean and reliable electricity could not be delayed.

Speaking at the summit, Sanwo-Olu said Africa had the resources needed to accelerate its transition to renewable energy but required greater investment and financing to make clean power affordable and accessible.

He disclosed that his administration had approved 15 renewable energy distribution projects in Lagos, but said limited access to funding remained a major obstacle to their implementation.

“Funds are available but investors are often unwilling to take the first risk,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu also called for stronger partnerships and financing mechanisms that recognise the economic realities and opportunities across African countries.

He said Lagos was ready to contribute to the global clean energy transition and urged greater African participation in shaping the future of the global energy sector.

The Global Renewables Summit brought together governments, businesses, investors and international organisations to advance renewable-powered electrification ahead of COP31.

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By Abbas Nazil

The Vatican is advancing plans to construct an $117 million agrivoltaic solar power plant designed to make Vatican City fully self-sufficient in its energy consumption.

According to report details from Reuters, the proposed facility will have a capacity of 80 to 90 megawatts, positioning it as one of the largest installations of its kind in Italy.

The project utilizes an agrivoltaic configuration where solar tracking panels are elevated several meters above the ground, allowing crops to grow beneath the structure.

This elevated dual-use design helps mitigate water evaporation and shields underlying agricultural plants from severe weather conditions.

The tracking solar array is projected to cover roughly 200 hectares, encompassing nearly half of the Holy See’s Santa Maria di Galeria site.

Engineers estimate a construction timeline of 18 to 24 months to complete the installation and integrate it into the local energy infrastructure.

Once operational, the solar plant will supply power directly to Vatican Radio’s primary transmission station and generate electricity for other Holy See properties, including Rome’s Bambino Gesù hospital.

Any surplus electricity generated beyond the Vatican’s operational needs will be fed back into the Italian national power grid.

The initiative expands on environmental commitments originally emphasized by the late Pope Francis and subsequently endorsed by Pope Leo XIV to promote clean energy adoption.

By transitioning its primary grid operations to renewable infrastructure, the Holy See aims to eliminate reliance on external fossil fuel power generation.

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By Abdullahi Lukman

The United Kingdom is set to invest more than £150 billion in expanding and modernising its electricity transmission network as rising power demand and rapid growth in renewable energy increase pressure on the existing grid.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) estimates that about £64 billion will be required for transmission projects by 2030, with a further £89 billion needed beyond that period.

The investment will fund new pylons, high-voltage cables, subsea links and converter stations needed to connect large volumes of wind and solar power to homes and businesses across the country.

The planned overhaul is expected to involve building about five times more electricity infrastructure by the end of the decade than was constructed during the previous 30 years.

The expansion has become a key part of the UK’s effort to meet its Clean Power 2030 target, which aims to increase clean electricity generation from about 60 per cent to 100 per cent by 2030.

Keith Bell, a professor of electronic and electrical engineering at the University of Strathclyde, said insufficient transmission capacity could prevent the country from fully using its renewable energy resources and leave it more exposed to fossil-fuel price shocks and higher carbon emissions.

An analysis by The Guardian estimated that more than 4,000 miles of new power lines could be required by 2041, alongside upgrades to existing infrastructure.

The expanded network would link renewable energy projects in northern Scotland and other remote areas with major centres of demand in England.

Around £22 billion is expected to be spent over the next five years on upgrading the electricity network across the Highlands, islands and north-east Scotland. The work is expected to include more than 1,100 pylons and about 460 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines.

A further £4 billion project will develop a subsea cable stretching about 315 miles between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire to transport renewable electricity.

The scale of the programme has generated opposition in some rural communities where new transmission lines are planned. Consumers are also expected to face higher energy costs in the short term as the infrastructure is funded, although regulators expect the investment to reduce costs over time by cutting reliance on expensive gas-fired generation.

The UK’s existing grid was largely designed around coal and gas power stations located close to major cities. The shift towards renewable energy has changed that pattern, with many new wind and solar facilities located far from population centres.

Gareth Davies, head of the National Audit Office, said the scale and speed of the planned upgrades would put significant pressure on existing systems and stressed that successful delivery would be essential to achieving value for money.

Ofgem estimates that households could eventually save about £30 a year if the grid upgrades proceed at the required pace, partly because improved transmission capacity would reduce the amount of renewable electricity that has to be curtailed.

However, some projects are expected to extend beyond 2030, potentially delaying connections for some renewable energy developments and increasing project and network constraint costs.

The government’s grid expansion programme is therefore expected to play a central role in determining how quickly the UK can connect new renewable generation and move towards a lower-carbon electricity system.

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By Obiabin Onukwugha

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has used its participation at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with global energy investors and reaffirm the country’s potential as a major destination for gas investment.

The four-day event, brought together energy leaders, investors, policymakers and technology innovators from across the world to discuss the future of the global gas and energy industry.

The NMDPRA highlighted ongoing efforts to create an investment-friendly environment for the country’s midstream and downstream gas sector.

Speaking at a high-level panel session, the Authority Chief Executive, Mallam Rabiu Umar, highlighted the role of the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) in reducing investment risks and helping to unlock private capital for gas infrastructure development.

Umar said the Fund had already deployed significant seed capital to support projects, with an ambition to leverage the intervention to unlock as much as $10 billion in investment for Nigeria’s gas sector.

The MDGIF, he said, is designed to help address some of the infrastructure and financing challenges that have historically slowed the development of Nigeria’s gas value chain.

The NMDPRA’s participation at the Gastech 2026 provided an opportunity to engage directly with international stakeholders at a time when countries are competing for capital, technology and partnerships to expand their energy industries.

For Nigeria, the discussions are particularly significant as the country seeks to increase gas production, expand processing and transportation infrastructure, and strengthen domestic gas supply while positioning gas as a major component of its energy transition and economic development strategy.

Gastech, regarded as one of the major global gatherings for the gas and energy industry, provides a platform where governments, energy companies and investors exchange ideas and explore potential investments and partnerships.

The NMDPRA’s presence therefore goes beyond participation in a conference, offering Nigeria an opportunity to present its regulatory framework, infrastructure priorities and investment opportunities directly to players in the global energy market.

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