The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Nigerian Armed Forces have sought to collaborate on the deployment of solar power systems to military formations across the country under the Federal Government’s National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative (NPSSI).
This was made known on Thursday during a project initiation and planning meeting between Abba Aliyu, REA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
The NPSSI, which has received initial government funding of ₦100 billion, is designed to replace diesel-powered generators in public institutions with sustainable solar systems.
Target beneficiaries include schools, hospitals, government offices, and other critical facilities.
Speaking at the meeting, Aliyu described the NPSSI as a collaborative effort led by the REA in partnership with the Budget Office of the Federation, the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria, and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
He said the goal was to cut energy costs, improve electricity reliability, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to clean energy.
According to him, several military formations have already shown interest in adopting solar power.
“To ensure coordinated deployment, the REA proposed a unified strategic approach and the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with military leadership”, he said.
Aliyu also explained that the initiative would operate on a pay-for-service model to guarantee long-term sustainability, noting that similar agreements had been signed with the Police Trust Fund, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Correctional Service.
In his response, Musa welcomed the proposal, describing it as “timely and much-needed” for military installations facing unreliable electricity supply.
He pledged to set up a dedicated military team to work with the REA in identifying priority locations and drafting a detailed implementation plan.
The meeting also explored the possibility of using the Nigerian Army’s Engineers and Logistics Unit to assist in deploying, installing, and maintaining the solar systems.
He disclosed that a joint REA–Military Solar Committee will be set up to finalise the framework for the project.
