Following the signing of the Electricity Act, 2023 into law by President Bola Tinubu, the Nasarawa State Government has partnered with the Nigeria Off-Grid Market Acceleration Programme to ensure the rapid development and implementation of the state’s energy projects, and enhance its power and sustainability agenda.
Speaking with journalists in Lafia, the state capital, on Friday, the Managing Director of the state’s Investment and Development Agency, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the partnership was a step towards bringing the Nasarawa State vision of becoming among the top three most competitive economies in Nigeria to actualisation.
He explained that the collaboration, which was formalised on Thursday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and NOMAP, was carried out by the agency, and the Nasarawa Electricity Power Agency as the technical lead.
Ibrahim added that the support from NOMAP would further strengthen the offering of the state, improve the business environment, offer certainty to prospective investors as well as deliver tangible benefits to rural communities.
“The collaboration with NOMAP is to provide an opportunity to enhance our state’s off-grid energy landscape, attract investment, and promote sustainable development.
“The programme will support the Nasarawa State Government with the development of the Nasarawa off-grid energy policy, build capacity for relevant state government institutions, support in the implementation of the policy, and facilitate further private sector and development partner support for off-grid clean energy projects in the state.
“We are excited about the prospects of this project, and we welcome all players within the electricity value chain to prepare and engage,” he added.
It was gathered that NOMAP, which is supported by Shell Foundation, UKaid and USAID, is primarily aimed at tackling the barriers limiting the growth of the off-grid energy sector in the country.
It is also targeted at promoting the creation of a favourable environment for clean energy such as off-grid solar solutions, especially in the rural areas.
