By Abdullahi Lukman
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), have jointly commissioned a 50kWp solar mini-grid in Namu, Quanpan LGA of Plateau State.
The new system is to supply clean, reliable electricity to more than 1,500 beneficiaries, including 180 women rice processors, 15 male equipment operators, and 100 households.
It will also power schools, health centres and small businesses, while supporting agricultural processing such as cassava grating and rice milling.
UNDP Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah said the project goes beyond electrifying homes, describing it as a catalyst for rural livelihoods and local economic growth.
The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Electricity Act 2023, the national Energy Transition Plan, and the country’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
It is projected to reduce up to 22,000 metric tons of CO₂ monthly by replacing diesel and fuelwood with solar power.
At the commissioning ceremony, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, REA CEO Abba Aliyu, and officials from the Federal Ministry of Environment joined UNDP representatives and community members to highlight the project’s impact.
The AMP plans to deploy 25 solar mini-grids nationwide to scale productive-use electrification, gender-responsive enterprise hubs, and climate-smart rural development.
