Governor Caleb Mutfwang with Management team from Rural Electrification Agency.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – The Plateau State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to scale up electrification and operation of sustainable power solutions across rural communities in the State.
The initiative is aimed at providing decentralized solar power solutions to unserved and underserved rural communities and ensuring reliable and sustainable energy access across the State.
The Governor, Caleb Mutfwang signed the document on behalf of the State Government, while the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, represented his Agency and the brief ceremony took place shortly after a roundtable event with the Plateau State Government on Rural Electrification on National Electrification and Strategy Implementation Plan (NESIP), held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
Both parties, according to a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere pledged to work in synergy to address the energy needs of rural communities.
Speaking at the roundtable event, Abba Aliyu commended Governor Mutfwang’s leadership and dedication to revitalising the energy sector as a driver of economic growth in the State, expressed confidence in the State’s potential to attract renewable energy investments, and disclosed that a company has expressed interest in investing $150 million in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector, with Plateau poised to benefit.
He noted that the State currently has low access to electricity despite its vast agricultural potential and pledged REA’s commitment to collaborating with Governor Mutfwang to overcome these challenges.
On his part, Governor Mutfwang underscored Plateau State’s immense potential in renewable energy and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of NESCO, where the state government holds a significant stake.
He assured prospective investors of a conducive business environment and pledged to address bureaucratic bottlenecks and security concerns to facilitate smooth operations.
The Governor also emphasized his administration’s readiness to provide necessary approvals, including land allocation, community engagement, and other incentives, while leveraging technology to enhance security across the state.
He declared that his administration’s two-year ambition is to position Plateau as Nigeria’s industrial hub for renewable energy and urged REA to hold subsequent roundtable discussions in Jos, the State capital.
