Rea Provides Account Of 2023 Capital Appropriation: N31.7Bn Utilized For Nationwide Projects.

Emmanuel Addeh reporting from Abuja

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) revealed today that it allocated a total of N31.7 billion towards capital projects in the 2023 implementation cycle. This funding was utilized for the completion of 447 projects across Nigeria during the year.

During the presentation of the 2023 REA Capital Project Implementation Report in Abuja, Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director of REA, emphasized the significance of the occasion in ensuring transparency and accountability within the agency’s operations. He explained that this was the first time that REA had presented such a report, aiming to provide the Nigerian public with a comprehensive understanding of how each penny allocated to the agency was being utilized.

Aliyu went on to disclose that out of the total allocated funds, N227 million had been utilized for consultancy purposes, while N446 million had been directed towards the deployment of mini-grids for electric vehicles across the six geopolitical zones of the country. Furthermore, N6.3 billion was dedicated to grid extension and the deployment of transformers at the distribution level to connect communities to the national grid. Additionally, N131 million had been spent on the deployment of solar home systems nationwide.

The REA intervention in 2023 covered every state in the country, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Moreover, the organization allocated N626 million for the deployment of various mini-grids throughout Nigeria. These mini-grids focused on facilitating the deployment of electric vehicles and energizing agricultural clusters across the nation. The deployment of solar street lights, specifically in areas facing security challenges, accounted for a total expenditure of N499 million. The agency also dedicated N2.02 billion for the deployment of solar pumping irrigation pumps across the country, benefitting over a thousand farmers and enhancing agricultural activities nationwide. As of now, REA has completed projects worth over N28.7 billion out of the allocated N31.7 billion. The remaining N3.3 billion projects are still in progress, with completion expected within the next two months.

Aliyu also highlighted that the distribution of REA projects covered all six geopolitical zones, the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The agency has prioritized monitoring and evaluation as an ongoing process that will persist until all 447 projects under review are successfully delivered.

Additionally, Umar Abdullahi, the Executive Director for Technical Services at REA, emphasized the organization’s commitment to realizing the socioeconomic impact of its interventions across all states in the federation. Abdullahi stated that the 2023 Capital Projects Implementation Status Report offered a comprehensive overview of the progress made in delivering multidimensional energy access infrastructure for the year 2023 under the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Power.

The report revealed that in the North-west region, 67 projects had been completed, six were ongoing, and one was awaiting funding. In the North-central region, REA had completed 88 projects, with two ongoing and two awaiting funding. The South-south region recorded 75 completed projects, four ongoing projects, and one awaiting funding. Similarly, the South-west region had 44 completed projects, three ongoing, and one not yet funded. In the North-east, 80 projects were completed, five were ongoing, and one awaited funding. The South-east region had 44 completed projects, three ongoing, and one awaiting funding. Overall, the report revealed that the REA had completed 93.5% of all projects within the specified period, while 4.5% were ongoing and 2.0% awaited funding.

Furthermore, the REA reported that over 1.4 million Nigerians benefited from the implementation of the 2023 capital projects cycle. To ensure ownership, safety, and sustainability of all energy access projects deployed to rural and underserved communities, the REA is strengthening its community engagement mechanism and leveraging the community-led Rural Electricity Users Cooperative Society (REUCS). Additionally, the agency aims to improve project lifespan by intensifying quality control efforts and enforcing standards and specifications, specifically combating counterfeit components.


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