The Nigerian government has signed a £17.9 million partnership agreement with the European Union and the German government to fund the third phase of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), an off-grid electricity initiative aimed at expanding access to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and rural electrification across the country.
The programme, launched in 2013 and co-funded by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, has already increased energy access in rural areas. Under this third phase, the NESP will provide electricity to 154,000 people, connect 30,000 individuals to clean cooking gas, and generate an additional eight megawatts of renewable energy.
Speaking at the launch, Inga Stefanowicz, Head of Section Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, emphasized the EU’s commitment to Nigeria’s energy security and sustainability goals. “As we launch this third phase, there is more for us ahead. 154,000 people will have new or improved access to electricity, and 30,000 people will gain access to LPG for clean cooking. The installation of 8MW of additional renewable energy capacity is also planned,” she said.
The EU’s funding aligns with its broader efforts to foster clean and sustainable energy, as well as digital and economic growth. The NESP’s goals for this phase include establishing innovative electricity franchise models, attracting renewable energy investments, and supporting solar installations for health projects. Stefanowicz highlighted that this initiative is central to the EU’s global gateway strategy, which aims to create a cleaner, more digital economy.
Johannes Lehne, Deputy Ambassador at the German Embassy in Nigeria, reinforced Germany’s support for Nigeria’s energy transition targets. “Technologies and investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency will be key for diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix and decarbonizing critical sectors,” Lehne said. “The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has committed €8.9 million, with an additional €9 million from the EU, totaling €17.9 million.”
Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Power, expressed optimism about NESP III’s impact on Nigeria’s unserved rural communities. “About 100 million Nigerians currently lack access to electricity,” he said. “Renewable energy is vital for addressing this challenge, and phase three builds on the successes of phases one and two in increasing electricity access in rural areas.”
Despite previous interventions, Nigeria’s electricity challenges persist, with the national grid experiencing multiple collapses in 2024 alone. The NESP’s off-grid solutions offer a potential path to stabilizing power supply and supporting Nigeria’s energy transition plan, which aims to diversify energy sources and reduce carbon emissions across five critical sectors.
