Tegbe commissions 581kWp solar mini-grid, 1.4MW battery system in Kwara

By Adebola Muili

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has commissioned a 581kWp interconnected solar mini-grid with a 1.4MW battery energy storage system at Oke-Oyi in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The project, commissioned on Thursday, is designed to provide more reliable electricity to the rural community, with its expanded battery storage capacity enabling the mini-grid to continue supplying power at night.

The project was delivered under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS), with support from the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), the European Union, the German government through GIZ and other development partners, including UNICEF.

Speaking at the commissioning, Tegbe said the initiative demonstrated how strategic partnerships between government, development partners and private sector operators could accelerate access to reliable electricity in underserved communities.

According to him, the IMAS model uses public funding to attract private investment, while establishing market structures capable of sustaining mini-grid projects beyond dependence on continuous government subsidies.

The minister said the Oke-Oyi project would help stimulate economic activities in the community by providing dependable electricity for households and businesses.

He urged residents to protect the facilities from vandalism and other forms of criminal interference, stressing that the infrastructure was provided for the benefit of the community and future generations.

“As we energize this community, we are also energizing businesses, creating opportunities, empowering young people, improving livelihoods, and building a more resilient future for Nigeria,” Tegbe said.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) said the project demonstrated the potential of interconnected mini-grids to combine renewable energy with existing electricity distribution networks to improve power supply and attract private investment.

He said the agency was working to expand the model through improved financing, regulatory and institutional frameworks, while ensuring the commercial viability, maintenance and community ownership of such projects.

The REA boss acknowledged the contributions of the Federal Ministry of Power, Kwara State Government, development partners, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited towards the completion of the project.

Representing the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, commended the Federal Government for its power sector initiatives and their impact on communities across the state.

Danladi-Salihu, who said he came from a rural constituency, noted that improved electricity supply could contribute to reducing rural-urban migration by creating better economic opportunities in rural areas.

He said, “As the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and being from a rural area, we understand the importance of electricity in taming rural-urban migration.”

The speaker also commended Tegbe for what he described as his efforts towards advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the power sector.

The Oke-Oyi mini-grid is expected to provide electricity to about 1,800 households and businesses, adding to ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to expand access to electricity in rural and underserved communities.

The project is also expected to support local economic activities while contributing to the government’s broader objective of improving energy security and increasing the use of renewable energy across the country.