Nigerian business investment reports
Thousands of residents in the Rubochi community, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Thursday witnessed a milestone in their socio-economic development as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) commissioned a 900 kilowatt-peak solar mini-grid under the Korea Energy Project.
The intervention, delivered in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Korea, is expected to provide stable electricity to about 2,500 households and institutions in Rubochi, alongside a 100kWp system previously installed in the Ikwa community.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony at the Sa’Rubochiyi Palace, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the project as more than infrastructure delivery.
‘Today marks far more than the unveiling of infrastructure; it represents the activation of opportunity, productivity, and dignity for thousands of Nigerians’, Aliyu said.
He explained that the project was conceived as a fully integrated energy solution, combining solar generation plants, battery storage, distribution networks, smart metering, and household wiring to ensure immediate productive use of electricity.
Aliyu added that a centralised Energy Management System at REA headquarters provides real-time operational visibility, allowing continuous technical support to Renewable Energy Service Companies responsible for operations and maintenance.
‘Because of this comprehensive design, we have created an enabling environment that addresses one of the most persistent challenges in the off-grid sector, long-term sustainability’, he said.
The REA boss emphasised the human capacity development embedded in the Korea Energy Project. Nigerian engineers now have access to specialised Korean software for mini-grid design and simulation, strengthening local technical capacity in the renewable energy sector.
Aliyu described the project as a strong example of strategic international cooperation, government leadership, and community partnership. ‘Energy access is not merely about electricity; it is about economic transformation, social inclusion, and national development’, he added.
The Korean Energy Project Coordinator, Dr Bello Salman, provided technical details, noting that the Rubochi installation comprises two plants with a combined capacity of 900kWp and 1,800 kilowatt-hour battery storage.
‘Plant A is 300kWp with 600kWh battery, and Plant B is 600kWp with 1,200kWh battery, powering about two-thirds of the community’, he said. Salman added that 19 kilometres of distribution network were deployed, with approximately 3,000 connections completed, including 2,500 in Rubochi and 300 in Ikwa.
Every household received circuits, lighting bulbs, switches, sockets, and two rice milling machines to support agricultural processing. Schools, police stations, and hostels were retrofitted, while a centralised monitoring system alerts REA to unusual load patterns, enabling prompt intervention.
Community leaders hailed the project as transformative, with one noting that ‘two years ago, there was no road here. Today, Rubochi is like a small city. Shops have increased. Commercial activities are expanding’.
The Sa’Rubochiyi of Rubochi, Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim, said, ‘For years, our people struggled with unreliable power. This solar project has brought light, but more importantly, it has brought hope. Our traders can now extend their working hours, our youths can learn with better tools, and our health services can function more effectively’.
Representing the Korean Government, Charge d’Affaires Namgoong Tak commended the collaboration and aligned the project with Nigeria’s Presidential Power Initiative. ‘As a solar-based mini-grid, it provides environmentally friendly and sustainable power. This Rubochi site alone supplies electricity to thousands of households, making it one of the largest community-based solar mini-grids in the FCT’, he said.
The REA reaffirmed its commitment to scaling renewable energy deployment nationwide. Aliyu stated, ‘We are intentional about deploying clean, reliable, and community-driven energy solutions that catalyse socio-economic transformation. This intervention is not just about megawatts installed; it is about livelihoods supported, emissions reduced, and local ecosystems strengthened’.
With the commissioning of the Rubochi and Ikwa installations, the REA highlighted that decentralised renewable energy systems remain a critical strategy to bridge Nigeria’s electricity access gap, bringing inclusive and sustainable energy to rural communities.
