ABUJA, 29 September 2021 — Husk Power Systems (huskpowersystems.com), the leading rural energy services company operating solar minigrids in Africa and Asia, concluded agreements to develop and operate seven minigrids with the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), which is funded by the World Bank and African Development Bank. The agreements, which were fully executed on September 15, fall under the Solar Hybrid Minigrid Performance-Based Grant (PBG) sub-component of NEP.

Signed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the company’s Nigerian entity, Husk Power Energy Systems Nigeria Ltd., the agreements marked an important expansion of Husk Power’s efforts to electrify rural communities and businesses across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. Husk already has more than 130 minigrids operating in India and Tanzania.

Husk Power’s solar hybrid minigrid projects will provide electricity to seven communities across Nasarawa State, with a total of about 5,000 connections that will benefit households, small businesses, medium-scale agro-processing and public institutions. The communities are in Doma Local Government Area (Rukubi, Idadu and Igbabo) and in Lafia Local Government Area (Kiguna, Akura, Gidan Buba and Sabon Gida). 

”Husk Power’s mission is to rapidly scale the electrification of rural communities and continuously spur economic growth for medium, small, micro enterprises in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Olu Aruike, Husk Power’s country lead in Nigeria. “We are grateful for the leadership and support provided by the REA, and look forward to a long-term partnership in delivering power to all Nigerians.”

Added Husk Power’s co-founder and CEO Manoj Sinha: “I am very excited to see our partnership with REA coming to fruition. It will enable Husk Nigeria, under our strong local leadership team, to scale rapidly in Nigeria and achieve our ambition of catalyzing socio-economic development in rural communities across the country.”

The objective of the PBG program is to increase electricity access to unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria using solar hybrid technology. The agreement with Husk provides grants of US$350 per connection, with a minimum total grant request of US$10,000 per minigrid.