FG Begins Distribution of Free Sola Systems as Electricity Tariff Goes Up by 40 Per CentThe Nigerian Government has begun the distribution of free solar home systems across Nigeria to ease the adverse effect of fuel subsidy removal.
The Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihjo, said the Nigerian Government had ordered the agency to increase the deployment of more free solar systems to homes, schools, and hospitals across Nigeria.
Salihjo said the project was under the Ministry of Power’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy programme.
He said:
“We are here on a short inspection visit. REA, under the supervision of the Ministry of Power, came here as part of our programmes under one of our projects, the Poverty Reduction and Growth and Strategy Programme, as approved by the Federal Government. “We are mindful of the removal of fuel subsidies and have assessed that the solar systems would be more useful in areas like this, where they do not have adequate power supply. We have done to test how we can distribute decentralised solar systems, specifically, 150 watts to very critical places in this neighbourhood- to small schools, homes and hospitals where we can provide them with lighting points, power for their fans and televisions,” he said.
According to him,
30 such solar systems have been deployed in the Makoko community. “We are happy with the feedback so far because the beneficiaries have been enjoying the benefits of the systems. This programme would be continued because more funds would be approved for deploying more systems.”
He added that the agency had visited Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State and Osogbo in Osun State, where solar systems had been delivered to markets and agricultural hubs.
According to Salihjo, the agency had to charge a fee to deploy to markets and agricultural plantations in Ijebu and Osogbo. In contrast, those deployed in homes, hospitals, and schools were done free of charge. Punch reports that Salihjo disclosed this when he visited the Makoko area of Lagos, where the traditional leader of the community, Migbewe 2, Chief Jeje Albert, said the community was happy over the laudable project. While expressing gratitude to the Federal Government, the traditional leader of Makoko Community, Migbewe 2, Chief Jeje Albert, said the community was happy with the laudable project.
The move will end all forms of subsidy in the electricity and energy sectors in the country. The Guardian reports that a monthly subsidy of N50 billion in the electricity industry is due to poor revenue, and the tariff increase coming on July 1 is another test for President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.