Stakeholders in Nigeria’s power sector have called for improved electricity access to support productive economic activities, saying energy investments should focus on boosting enterprise, agriculture and rural businesses rather than expanding electricity connections alone.
The position was presented at the National Stakeholders Engagement Workshop hosted by the Rural Electrification Agency in Abuja in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States and the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association under the theme, “Unlocking and Scaling the Sustainable Adoption of Productive Use of Energy Technologies Across Nigeria: Harmonising Financing Opportunities and Policy Frameworks.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the Federal Government’s rural electrification strategy is shifting from infrastructure expansion to supporting economic activities.
“Our approach to energy diversification under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects a simple but profound truth: rural electrification is no longer about extending wires into communities. It is about extending opportunity. It is about creating prosperity. It is about enabling enterprise. It is about transforming electricity from a social service into an economic catalyst,” Tegbe stated.
The minister said the impact of electricity should be measured by the economic activities it enables rather than by the number of connections or infrastructure delivered.
“When we speak about electricity, we often measure success by megawatts generated, kilometres of distribution lines constructed, or the number of households connected. Those are important indicators. But they are not the ultimate objective. The true measure of success is what electricity enables.
“Certain questions, among others, that reflect new, audacious, and creative thinking need to be asked and appropriately answered today. For example, can a farmer irrigate more land? Can a rice mill process more produce efficiently? Can a cold room preserve fish and vegetables? Can a cassava processor reduce waste? Can young entrepreneurs establish agro-processing businesses within their communities?” he said