The United Nations (UN) has commended Nigeria for making significant strides in expanding affordable and reliable electricity access through innovative subsidy frameworks and off-grid interventions that have connected more than five million people and created over 5,000 green jobs.
The recognition is contained in the UN’s World Social Report 2026: The New Economics of Social Inclusion, which highlights the impact of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in extending modern energy infrastructure to underserved and unserved communities across Nigeria.
The report also identifies Nigeria and Ghana as leaders in innovative agrivoltaics projects, which integrate solar energy installations with agricultural activities.
According to the report, the model enables communities to strengthen food and energy systems simultaneously by harnessing sunlight for both agricultural production and clean electricity generation on the same land.
Citing the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) as a model policy intervention, the UN noted that targeted subsidies for rural mini-grids had helped lower electricity tariffs for vulnerable populations while attracting significant private-sector investment.
The report disclosed that the initiative had supported the deployment of 125 mini-grids and facilitated the distribution of more than one million solar home systems (SHS).
“Through these interventions, more than five million Nigerians now have access to reliable power, backed by targeted subsidies, lifeline tariffs, and pay-as-you-go financing models designed to ensure long-term affordability and widespread access,” the report stated.
The UN stressed that targeted subsidies and differential pricing mechanisms remained essential to ensuring an equitable energy transition.
It noted that prioritising energy efficiency and off-grid solutions in low-income communities could deliver significant returns on investment, reduce energy access disparities and stimulate local businesses.
Reacting to the recognition, Mr Abba Aliyu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, said the report validated the agency’s philosophy that rural electrification went beyond expanding electricity generation capacity.
“It is about building an energy ecosystem that drives economic productivity and uplifts livelihoods,” he said.
Aliyu also commended President Bola Tinubu for championing what he described as the world’s largest publicly funded renewable energy portfolio.
He said the REA had facilitated the installation of more than 1,000 mini-grids nationwide.
According to him, the agency’s expanding interventions are strengthening agro-processing, improving agricultural productivity and enhancing food security by powering irrigation systems, cold storage facilities and rural cottage industries.
He cited the recent commissioning of a one-megawatt mini-grid project in Gombe State as an example of the agency’s efforts to extend electricity access and support economic activities in rural communities.
