By Abdullahi Lukman
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s power sector have called for wider adoption of mini-grids as a sustainable solution to the country’s electricity challenges, urging greater collaboration, innovation and investment to accelerate energy access.
The call was made on Wednesday at the 16th Distinguished Electrical and Electronic Engineering Award Laureate organised by the Nigeria Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) in Lagos. The event focused on strategies for optimising distributed generation and integrating multi-community mini-grids across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, described the conference theme as timely, saying distributed generation and digital technologies are transforming the electricity sector through innovations such as artificial intelligence, smart grids, energy storage, advanced transmission systems and cybersecurity.
He said these advancements present new opportunities for electrical and electronic engineers to develop indigenous solutions tailored to Nigeria’s energy needs. Tegbe urged the institute to deepen research, strengthen collaboration among academia, industry and professional bodies, embrace emerging technologies and prioritise local content in engineering design, manufacturing, operations and maintenance.
The minister stressed that government alone cannot achieve the desired transformation of the power sector, noting that strong partnerships with private investors, development partners, academic institutions and engineering professionals are essential to delivering reliable electricity nationwide.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to reforming Nigeria’s electricity value chain through strategic investments, policy reforms, infrastructure expansion and increased private sector participation, adding that reliable power remains critical to economic growth, industrialisation, healthcare, education, food security and digital transformation.
Guest lecturer Isaac Agoro also advocated the development of smart distribution grids, describing mini-grids as a practical and cost-effective solution for expanding electricity access across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in communities beyond the reach of the national grid.
Earlier, NIEEE President Felix Adegboye said the implementation of the Electricity Act has created new opportunities for decentralised electricity generation, but noted that integrating localised energy systems into the national grid remains a major engineering challenge requiring innovative solutions.
