Nigeria receives AfDB financing for rural electrification project

By Victor Uzoho
 • To train beneficiaries on productive energy use
The Federal Government has received financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB), for the
Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), a nationwide initiative aimed at delivering energy access to underserved communities in the country.
According to AfDB, the project supports the government’s goal to increase electricity access across the nation, as defined in the national development agenda and would provide electricity to households, small-to-medium-sized enterprises, and public institutions in a least-cost and timely manner through off- and mini-grid solutions.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the implementation agency, said it would commit part of the proceeds of the loan to payment under the contract, for the consultancy services of a firm to train the project beneficiaries on productive use of energy under NEP.
The Agency said the objective of the training is to stimulate interest in the project by sharing current thinking on innovative practices and products in the off-grid space, to support end-users to increase income and reduce market barriers.
It said this would be achieved by providing practical guidance, to enable and encourage stakeholders to participate in the energy-efficient productive use appliances market and support the creation of an enabling environment for its successful implementation.
According to the Agency, the consultant shall carry out specific tasks of designing a robust training curriculum to be implemented across the lifespan of the project and incorporate in the training curriculum, the findings and lessons from the results of the pilot demonstrations it undertook.
The training methodology would involve practical simulations and case studies to ensure that it is interactive and impactful, while participants would be furnished with training handbooks covering relevant topics as relating to the end-users and key stakeholder workshops.