Power challenge: TETFUND to fund Alternative Energy Solutions in tertiary institutions

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is introducing a special intervention to fund alternative energy to address incessant power challenge in tertiary institutions. Chairman, Board of Trustees of TETFund, Aminu Masari, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja. Alhaji Masari made the disclosure while inaugurating the steering committee for Alternative Energy Solution Initiative in tertiary Institutions Masari said the initiative was part of the fund’s commitment to support government’s efforts at ensuring steady power supply in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. He stressed the importance of power supply as critical to learning and research, which was lacking in most tertiary institutions. “We all know the combination of factors to include the increase in tariff which has become unbearable for these institutions, coupled with other issues,” he said. The provision of reliable power supply is expected to improve the quality of education and research in tertiary institutions, Masari said. The Federal Government also plans to provide steady power to tertiary institutions through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The REA aims to provide captive solar hybrid power plants to 15 federal tertiary institutions and two teaching hospitals . This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to address power challenge by increasing electricity access to underserved Nigerians. While the exact timeline for the completion of this project is not specified, REA has made significant progress in increasing electricity access to underserved communities. The agency has more than 67 mini-grids and 995,396 solar home systems deployed. The steering committee, has been given two months to summit its preliminary report, and shall be part of the implementation team.

Rural Electrification Agency gets new Chief Executive Officer

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Abba Abubakar Aliyu as the substantive Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information  & Strategy “the appointment, effective from January 23, 2025, is for an initial term of four years. Aliyu has been acting as the agency’s managing director since March 2024 until his appointment. He has over 20 years of experience in energy and organisational development in the private and public sectors. He has played key leadership roles in the on-grid and off-grid power sectors, as well as the water resources and transportation sectors of Nigeria’s economy. READ ALSO: Addressing challenge of frequent grid collapse in Nigeria Previously, he was head of the Project Management Unit at the Nigeria Electrification Project; General Manager of Corporate Services, Projects, and Research, and Deputy General Manager at Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET). President Tinubu anticipates that Aliyu will leverage his extensive expertise to further the REA’s mission of providing rural communities with reliable electric power and contributing to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda on sustainable energy and power.

N1.8bn fraud: ICPC sues Abubakar Abdulahi Sambo, REA official

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will arraign a staff member of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abubakar Sambo, (Abubakar Abdullahi Sambo ) for allegedly paying N1.835 billion for an unauthorized project supervision exercise. This is contained in ICPC’s charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/ CR/209/2024 and filed on May 10, 2024, by Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, Assistant Chief Legal Officer, ICPC. The defendant is sued before the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly paying N1.835 billion to some persons for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approval. In the three-count charge, the anti-graft agency accused the defendant of allegedly using his password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of REA to finalize the payments. ICPC maintained that the development contravenes the Cybercrime Act, Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, and Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The charges read, “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 оr thereabout while being a public officer I.e., Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did finalize the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000.00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henmentta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approval thereby contributing to the economic adversity of the Rural Electrification Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 68 of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, CAP. P39, Laws of the Federation, 2004 “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 or thereabout while being a public officer i.e, Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your access password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency and finalized the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000,00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henrientta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without authority and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6(4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015. “That you ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI SAMBO (M) sometime in March, 2023 or thereabout while being a public officer i.e., Payment Finalizer on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform of Rural Electrification Agency at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer corrupt advantage on Henrrientta Onomen Okajle, Asuni Adejoke Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye when you used your access password to access the Government Integrated Financial Management System platform of Rural Electrification Agency and finalized the payment of the total sum of N1,835,000,000.00 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira) in different tranches for the use of Henrientta Onomen Okojie, Asuni Adejake Aminat, Usman Kwakwa, Laure Shehu Abdullahi, Emmanuel Pada Titus and Musa Umar Karaye for a purported project supervision exercise without requisite approvals and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

250,000 Households To Get Electricity In 2024 -REA

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), says it is supporting 250,000 households with electric mobility, mini-grids, home systems to boost electricity in the country in 2024.  Malam Mutari Ibrahim, the Director Promotion and Outreach (PIO) said this in a statement in Abuja. “In response to subsidy removal, REA is implementing interventions to develop electric mobility, mini-grids, distribute home systems, deploy streetlights, potentially supporting up to 250,000 households in the coming year.” Ibrahim said that the agency had equally deployed more than 1,650 Kilo Metres (KM) of solar streetlights, improving power, security, and economic growth in rural areas,” he said. He said that REA also completed 1,403 projects under the capital budget, delivering solar streetlights, mini-grid projects, standalone home systems, and grid extension works. “Through various programmes, including Energisng Education Programme.  Energising Agriculture Programme beyond COVID-19, and Economic Clusters, REA delivered more than 65 Mega Watts (MW) of power across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. “The agency has delivered more than 500MW of power, electrified numerous communities, created 500,000 new jobs, and attracted over two billion dollars in investments in the renewable energy sector over the past decade. “In advancing these achievements, we have established partnerships with the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Global Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP),” he said. Other partnership secured are with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF). He said that the agency also secured partnership with the European Union, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). ‘Others are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Korean Institute of Advancement of Technology (KIAT) “In 2022, as part of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (NPRGS) Programme, REA secured an additional four billion in capital injection grants. “To provide clean power standalone home systems to more than 50,000 locations, including rural homes, micro-businesses, schools, and faith-based institutions,” he said. Ibrahim said that from 2020 to date, REA had provided power to more than 7.5 million people, including 1.5 million households, delivering 130 Mini-Grid Projects, including 1.3 million standalone home systems. According to him, most recently, the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), REA negotiated and secured the advance approval of a 750 million dollars facility with the World Bank. The aim he said was to expand renewable and rural electrification initiatives, providing additional resources to Nigeria during a challenging period. Ibrahim said that Mr Salihijo Ahmad, the current Managing Director of the agency, had been a steadfast leader who has tirelessly guided REA through challenging times. “Even in the face of internal, external pressures, and resistance to anti-corruption efforts. “Upon assumption of office, Ahmad encountered a myriad of unresolved staff issues within the agency. “Recognising the immense challenge of repositioning the agency for effective project delivery, human resources became a pivotal consideration. In response, “He wasted no time in addressing concerns related to the organisation’s processes, structure, and staff welfare, with the aim of fostering a conducive work environment for optimal performance,” he said. According to him, his first step is to initiate a comprehensive institutional assessment and appraisal of the agency, carried out by a globally renowned organisational re-engineering firm.  He said that the assessment rigorously evaluated the agency’s project delivery, institutional structure, and processes to determine its capacity to meet its mandate. “The recommendations from the assessment were meticulously reviewed and approved by the agency’s board and the minister before being put into action, resulting in significant accomplishments. “Over the past few months, we have collaborated closely with the ministry of power, National Assembly, anti-corruption agencies, and process organisations to initiate further reforms within REA in spite numerous obstacles,” he said.