The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has partnered with the Benue State Government to explore options for expanding access to electricity for more than 1.2 million off-grid residents in the state, officials announced at a high-level energy engagement in Abuja.
The collaboration was revealed during the 24th State-by-State High-Level Roundtable, convened by the REA in conjunction with Benue State, focused on accelerating energy access and catalysing private investment in the state’s renewable energy landscape.
At the event, the REA presented a data-driven assessment identifying about 1,207,272 residents in Benue who could be powered through solar-powered mini-grids decentralised electricity systems not reliant on the national grid. The agency also highlighted 3,821 potential mini-grid sites across the state, with 651 communities having more than 100 connections, making them commercially viable for private sector developers.
REA’s Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, said the agency’s approach was aimed at generating bankable market data that would attract renewable energy investors and financiers, while supporting implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 and the National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State expressed his administration’s commitment to leveraging the new regulatory framework to expand energy access, reverse years of persistent power gaps, and build investor confidence through clear, predictable, and coordinated project execution.
Speaking at the roundtable, Governor Alia said poor energy access has long constrained development in parts of Benue, and that the state is now positioning itself to attract private sector involvement in renewable energy projects. He also reiterated the state’s intention to establish an Energy Commission to provide a coordinated platform for energy investments and to oversee implementation of power projects.
The roundtable brought together more than 300 stakeholders, including renewable energy companies, policymakers, financiers, innovators and community representatives, to outline pathways for expanding solar mini-grid deployment, enhance investment frameworks, and support sustainable electrification across the state.
Moving forward, the REA and Benue State Government intend to finalise strategies for operationalising mini-grids and other renewable power solutions that can reliably serve unserved and underserved communities, with the aim of boosting economic activity and improving living standards.
