By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
ENGIE Energy Access, a provider of solar home systems and mini-grid solutions in Nigeria, has touched the lives of over 3,000 Nigerians by providing them with access to renewable energy through the construction of its mini-grids in Niger State.
This impact was made known by the Head of Mini-Grids for ENGIE Energy Access Nigeria,
Onyinye Anene-Nzelu, during a panel session at the 2nd Edition of the Solar Week Nigeria 2023 Conference & Awards in Lagos.
At the Conference, which was themed ‘Partnering For Success: Collaborating with Communities and Stakeholders in Mini-Grids Project With Energy Storage in Nigeria,’ Anene-Nzelu said that the beneficiaries included households, businesses, schools, and healthcare centres in rural communities of Niger state.
The ENGIE Mini-grids Head stated that strategic partnership with relevant stakeholders in the renewable energy ecosystem was essential in bridging Nigeria’s huge energy gap. She also expressed that the importance of collaboration in the renewable energy space could not be over-emphasized as about 92 million Nigerians, especially those in rural areas, still lacked access to electricity.
Anene-Nzelu insisted that there is more to be done in order to increase investment in electric power infrastructure, financing for private sector energy efficiency, and renewable energy development, stressing that this would enable the country to meet the energy demand of the growing population.
In her own words, “from the beginning of the value chain is policy, we need to make sure that we get our policies right. We also need to make sure that our regulatory framework is well-aligned with the right methodology to ensure that we are able to attract and sustain investments that will enable us to bridge the energy access gap across the country.”
According to her, Nigeria is gradually moving from rural electrification to rural economic transformation, relating this to the deployment of mini-grids in rural areas. She described the move as an economic enabler for rural dwellers, adding that it has opened the communities to more business opportunities, increased productivity, and reduced urban migration in the country.
