Reliable Power for Rural Nigerians at Scale
In a landmark collaboration, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) signed a $200 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WeLight, a pan-African distributed renewable energy firm, on March 10, 2025, to deploy 400 mini-grids and 50 larger MetroGrids across Nigeria's underserved rural and peri-urban regions
"This MOU not only represents a leap toward providing clean electricity to millions in Nigeria but also supports WeLight's ambition to become a truly pan-African company,"
Backed by critical support from the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), the project aligns with Nigeria's ambition to raise renewables from 22% to 50% of its energy mix, delivering clean and consistent power to an estimated 1.52 million residents
Project Impact & Significance
- Rural Electrification Boost: Instantly expands access in locations formerly too remote for grid extension.
- Economic Revitalization: Enables businesses and critical services—schools, clinics, cold storage—to function predictably.
- Investor Momentum:Aligns with SEAP's PPP-aligned models for hybrid power, smart cooking, and e-mobility solutions.
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This is a pivotal step in Nigeria's energy transition, demonstrating that clean, renewable infrastructure can scale with private capital.
SEAP's Strategic Next Steps
- Developer Integration - SEAP is evaluating how its hybrid mini-grid and clean cooking offerings can build on these PPP frameworks.
- Financier Alignment - Invitations are out to DFIs and impact investors to co-finance rollouts anchored in SEAP's proven project templates.
- Webinar Invite - Join our session on July 2, 2025, to explore how PPP infrastructure platforms like this open avenues in energy, agri, and mobility for SEAP stakeholders.