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Residents of several underserved communities in Plateau State are experiencing improved access to electricity following the deployment of solar-hybrid mini-grids by V-Solaris Limited, with the projects supporting homes, healthcare facilities, small businesses and other essential services.
The intervention is helping address longstanding electricity challenges in communities where households previously relied on torches, candles and kerosene lamps, while traders and business owners depended on petrol generators to keep their operations running.In Dadin Kawa, the community’s traditional ruler, Nanzun Loknan Francis, said the arrival of electricity had significantly improved living conditions.
“We have been staying in darkness for long. Candle is even expensive in the market,” he said, adding that residents could now enjoy modern household conveniences. “Everybody has gotten television and fans. We are in light now.”Similar changes are being reported in Fajul, where traditional ruler Binkue Takul said access to electricity had improved the community’s outlook.“The community are very happy because God has brought prosperity for us. We see light everywhere,” he said.Electricity improves learning and healthcareImproved electricity supply is also creating better conditions for students to study after dark.
Nathan Bali, a student in Dadin Kawa, said he previously relied on a torch to read, a situation that made studying difficult.“Before we had light, I was using a torch to read, and it was giving me problems,” he said. “I read with ease, and I’m happy because there is light.”In Mile 4 Community, the traditional ruler, H.R.H. Chief Bulus Vincent, said electricity had helped address some of the difficulties residents faced.“The community was stranded,” he said, noting that children could now attend evening study sessions with electricity available.The projects are also supporting healthcare delivery.
At Moekat Community, Doctor Langes Bitrus said the electricity supply was helping the facility operate equipment that requires power.The mini-grid now supports the use of “microscopes and other machineries that need light for their operation,” he said.
According to Bitrus, patients have also expressed satisfaction with the improved electricity supply, which has contributed to better working conditions at the facility.Businesses report improved operationsSmall businesses are among those benefiting from more reliable electricity, particularly operators who previously faced interruptions when generators broke down or fuel ran out.Sati Mangut, chairman of Daffo Community, said business owners had struggled with the cost and inconvenience of generator use.
He described the previous arrangement as “difficult and cumbersome,” adding that “the power supply is always steady” following the introduction of the mini-grid.Renan Ezra, a businessman in Fajul, said electricity interruptions previously affected his ability to work.“If the generator is faulty, we cannot work. If the fuel is finished, we can’t also work,” he said.He added that access to solar-generated electricity had improved his business operations and profitability.In Dadin Kawa, resident Mankoi Gingon has acquired a hand dryer and is considering additional equipment to expand his enterprise, illustrating the potential for improved electricity access to support new services and income-generating activities.
Mini-grids target agricultural and rural developmentThe projects also have implications for agricultural production and processing in Plateau State, where many residents depend on farming for their livelihoods.Engr. Danjuma Henry Kassam (MNIEEE, NEMSA), Technical System Design Engineer, said V-Solaris developed an approximately 200-kilowatt-peak solar plant to supply electricity to the community.He explained that unreliable power had constrained activities such as irrigation, crop processing and the preservation of agricultural produce, including groundnuts, maize and rice.
“With this particular invention now, this particular community will be ameliorated when it comes to economy and the boosting of their livelihood,” Kassam said.Reliable electricity can help farmers and small-scale processors operate machinery, preserve produce and improve the value of their output.
Kassam said V-Solaris had projects across Langtang South, Shendam and parts of Bokkos, with additional sites being prepared.“V-Solaris is up to the task as far as mini-grid is concerned and electrifying rural communities,” he said.Expansion plans target more communitiesThe Plateau projects form part of V-Solaris’ wider effort to expand electricity access through decentralised renewable energy.
The company has implemented seven mini-grid projects under Nigeria’s Electrification Project, resulting in 5,517 connections.V-Solaris also plans to develop up to 97 additional mini-grid sites through an initiative backed by the International Finance Corporation.
The proposed projects are expected to deliver a combined capacity of approximately 15 megawatts and could provide about 142,343 potential new connections across nine states.The additional connections remain projected targets, rather than completed connections.Across the communities already benefiting from the projects, residents say improved electricity has reduced their dependence on fuel-powered alternatives and made daily activities easier.
Blessing Bali, a resident of Dadin Kawa, said households no longer needed to rely on generators and other alternatives to the same extent.“We don’t use fuel, we don’t use generator, we have light and we are happy that the light is very strong,” she said.In Faya, Nankpak Fazhi said electricity had eased challenges associated with accessing grinding services and charging mobile phones.“V-Solaris brought light for us, and it is good and very strong,” he said.
Miri Gwaktim Solomon, youth leader in Fajul, also observed that the electricity supply was attracting visitors to the community, while Langs Monday Jacob said the intervention had contributed to local development.“This light brought so much development. It increases economic development in this community,” he said.
As Nigeria continues to address its electricity-access challenges, decentralised renewable energy systems are providing an alternative for communities underserved by conventional grid infrastructure.For the Plateau communities, the next challenge will be to sustain the systems and expand the productive use of electricity in agriculture, healthcare, education and enterprise, ensuring that improved power supply translates into lasting economic and social benefits.
