Going Green: Scaling up access to clean electricity for over 17 million Nigerians

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Nigeria is stepping up its ambition to provide access to clean and efficient electricity to millions of people with the new ‘Distributed Access through Renewable Energy- DARES’ program which is set to provide 17.5 million Nigerians with new or improved access to electricity.
• The DARES program builds on Nigeria’s effort to expand renewable energy access through the Nigeria Electrification Project, which has installed 125 hybrid mini grids and deployed over a million solar home systems, providing access to electricity to more than 5 million people and creating over 5000 green jobs.
• Using an innovative, private sector led financing model, DARES will help Nigeria deliver reliable and clean electricity to up to 237,000 MSMEs for productive uses that generate income and create local jobs.

Dr. Garba Buwa recalls the challenges his hospital faced in providing lifesaving medical care to patients due to the lack of reliable electricity. The State Specialist Hospital in Gombe, where Dr. Buwa works as a gynecologist, experienced frequent power outages from the national grid, and the generators were unreliable and often broke down at crucial times. This meant that they had to refer patients to other hospitals, which was especially difficult for low-income individuals who couldn't afford the services at these other facilities.

"We faced situations where there was no electricity from the national grid, and the generator was also unavailable” recounts Dr. Buwa. “In 2018, during a six-month period from January to June, approximately 38 women died during pregnancy or after delivery, and more than 300 babies lost their lives. These tragic outcomes were largely attributed to the inadequate lighting in the hospital”.

Access to electricity is a significant challenge in Nigeria, with more than 85 million people living without it as of 2021. The population has grown faster than electrification efforts, impacting households, businesses and essential public services like healthcare and education. Even those with access to electricity often experience power cuts and rely on generator sets.

Mindful of these challenges and the positive impact of improved access to electricity on businesses and households, the Government of Nigeria launched the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), a program with financing of $550 million of which $350 million was a credit from The World Bank. The program, which was aimed at providing off-grid electricity access across Nigeria, has provided clean and reliable electricity to over 5 million people and created over five thousand green jobs.

Amongst the thousands reached includes Dr. Buwa and his colleagues whose hospital has benefited from the solar energy installation that is now providing clean and reliable electricity to the hospital.

Abiodun Taiwo, a barber in Ogun state, owns a small shop that he operates daily to earn a living to care for his family. He shares how access to solar electricity has made an impact on his business.

“Using solar power has significantly reduced my costs compared to using fuel, allowing me to offer services at a regular price and make a profit. Solar energy also allows me to charge my phone, clippers, and play music, enhancing my business operations.”