FG flags off 13.92MW solar mini-grid project in Yobe
August 5, 2026 7:05 pm
Yobe State Government officials with the delegation from the Federal Ministry of Power.. Credit: Kasim Isa Muhammad
The Federal Government has flagged off the construction of a 13.92-megawatt peak interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid project in Yobe State to improve electricity access, support businesses and stimulate economic activities.
The project, being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency with support from the World Bank, was inaugurated on Wednesday across five locations in Damaturu, Potiskum, Nguru and Bade Local Government Areas.
The initiative includes a 1.76MWp solar plant at Waziri Ibrahim Estate in Damaturu, a 2.98MWp facility in Gashua, a 3.20MWp installation in Nguru, as well as two plants in Potiskum comprising a 3.20MWp facility at Yarimaram and a 2.78MWp installation at Rugan Fulani.
The project also entails the installation of 40 distribution transformers to strengthen electricity distribution in the benefiting communities.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, described the initiative as one of the largest interconnected hybrid solar mini-grid investments in Northern Nigeria.
He said the project would provide reliable electricity to thousands of households, markets, schools, hospitals, agricultural enterprises and small businesses across the state.
According to him, the investment will also drive industrial growth, encourage entrepreneurship, create jobs for youths and women, improve healthcare services, and enhance agricultural productivity.
Buni noted that the project aligns with the state’s economic development agenda and efforts to diversify energy sources through renewable energy investments.
The governor said his administration had electrified more than 450 rural communities, restored electricity to communities affected by insurgency, connected Gulani and Yunusari Local Government Areas to the national grid, installed over 17,000 solar-powered streetlights, and deployed hybrid solar systems in hospitals and other public institutions.
He added that the state was domesticating the Electricity Act 2023 through the proposed Yobe State Electricity Law to strengthen the regulatory framework and attract private investment into the power sector.
Buni said the state government had acquired all the land required for the projects, compensated affected landowners and issued Certificates of Occupancy for the project sites.
“We have taken all necessary measures to provide a conducive environment for the successful execution of these projects,” he said.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said the interconnected hybrid mini-grids were designed to integrate with existing distribution networks to provide reliable and affordable electricity to homes, businesses and public institutions.
He explained that the projects would reduce energy costs while improving power supply to commercial and residential clusters, thereby unlocking economic opportunities.
“We are not merely connecting communities to electricity. We are connecting them to opportunity. We are creating an environment where businesses can grow, young people can innovate, farmers can process more of what they produce, healthcare facilities can provide better services, and local economies can flourish,” Aliyu said.
Aliyu disclosed that the projects stemmed from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the REA and the Yobe State Government following the REA-Yobe Strategic Roundtable held in June 2025 to expand electricity access and attract private sector investment.
He added that the agency had 14 additional electricity projects with a combined capacity of 15.3MWp in the pipeline across the state, expected to provide about 23,870 new electricity connections.
According to him, the projects will serve communities including Jawur Katamma, Dibbwol, Dogonkuka, Malori, Turmi, Zangaya, Dole and Falimaran, as well as the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu. He added that expansion projects are also planned for Gashua, Nguru, Waziri Ibrahim, Yarimaram and Rugan Fulani.
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