REA Earmarks N170 Billion For 500 Power Projects in 2026 Budget

Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has listed 500 projects in the 2026 budget to boost electricity supply in strategic public institutions and rural communities across the country.

Managing director of the agency, Abba Aliyu, made this known while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the 2026 budget defence session organised by House committee on rural electrification in Abuja on Friday.

He said that the total budget size for 2026 operations is N170 billion, out of which N100 billion had been approved for National Public Sector Solarisation.

The managing director said that the N100 billion targets provision of hybrid mini-grid for government agencies within and outside Abuja.

“In the National Hospital in Abuja, you can see our infrastructure, trying to provide reliable electricity to reduce the cost of electricity at the hospital.

“In the 2026 budget, we have a plan for over 500 different projects; a number of them are extension of grid for communities that are very close to the grid where we extend the grid, deploy transformers to power the communities.

“We have also a reasonable number of mini-grids for communities that are agrarian in nature or have cottage industries,” he said.

Mr Aliyu said that the agency had also planned for mini-grids in an agricultural processing area in the 2026 budget.

“We also have plans for deployment of solar home system for sparsely populated communities. What we presented to the National Assembly is the details of this 500 projects that are to be executed,” he said.

Accounting for the 2024 budget, Mr Aliyu said that the agency achieved 85 per cent budget performance.

He said that the agency had so far achieved 32 per cent of the 2025 budget in spite of the low release of funds experienced during the fiscal year.

Earlier, chairman of the committee, Rep. Mohammed Bukar (APC-Borno), said that after thorough deliberations and scrutiny, the committee was satisfied with the explanations provided and the documentation presented by the agency.

He said that measurable progress had been made in expanding energy access through off-grid and renewable energy interventions across rural communities, federal institutions and public sector establishments nationwide.

The lawmaker acknowledged the agency’s compliance with applicable procurement laws, fiduciary safeguards and development partner frameworks governing its operations.

He, however, said that the committee would embark on oversight visits for on-the-spot assessments, in line with constitutional demands.

“Legislative oversight is a critical pillar of accountability, and we will continue to ensure that the Rural Electrification Agency remains aligned with its statutory mandate and national development priorities.

“However, at this stage, we are satisfied that the agency is operating within its mandate and delivering tangible impact.

“We encourage the agency to sustain this momentum, as Nigeria advances its rural electrification and energy transition objectives.”

(NAN)