Vsolaris, a renewable energy service company, has strengthened its engagement with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in a move aimed at expanding minigrid projects and accelerating electricity access in unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria.
This was highlighted during a high-level visit by Abba Abubakar Aliyu, the Managing Director of the REA, and his management team to Vsolaris’s office and factory facilities in Lagos, where the company showcased its growing minigrid portfolio, operational capacity and local assembly capabilities.
The visit is part of REA’s ongoing efforts to engage credible private-sector developers aligned with the Federal Government’s decentralised and off-grid electrification strategy.
Briefing the REA delegation, Chantelle Abdul, Group Chief Executive Officer of Vsolaris, disclosed that the company has completed and energised seven minigrid projects across Langtang South, Shendam and Bokkos Local Government Areas of Plateau State, all of which are currently fully operational.
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She said Vsolaris now has 101 minigrid sites in its portfolio, spread across 34 local government areas in nine states, with a planned generation capacity of 64 megawatts (MW).
According to Abdul, project execution is progressing steadily, with 15 isolated minigrid sites under construction at about 75 percent completion, while three interconnected minigrid projects are also under construction at roughly 50 percent completion.
The company also highlighted its strength in metering and revenue assurance.
Ayodeji Oladeji, General Manager of Vsolaris, said the firm has deployed over 6,000 smart meters integrated with vending platforms, achieving a 99 percent collection efficiency with zero downtime.
He explained that the metering architecture enhances transparency, improves project bankability and ensures reliable service delivery to customers.
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Nigeria currently has the highest number of people without access to electricity globally, a gap the REA was established to address.
Speaking during the visit, Aliyu reiterated that the agency’s mandate covers extending power to communities without grid access and improving supply in areas with unreliable electricity.
“We do not fully fund these projects,” Aliyu said. “Public funds are deployed as catalytic grants, but the private sector must have skin in the game. That is how we ensure accountability and long-term sustainability.”
Under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Aliyu noted that the REA has supported more than 200 minigrids nationwide, electrifying about 1.1 million households and providing hybrid power solutions to 15 federal institutions.
In Plateau State, partner-led minigrids with a combined capacity of about 850 kilowatts have delivered electricity to seven rural communities.
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Building on these outcomes, he disclosed that the Federal Government has approved a fresh $750 million funding round for the REA to provide electricity access to about 17.5 million Nigerians through roughly 1,350 minigrids, including interconnected systems, while catalysing an estimated $1.1 billion in private-sector investment.
Abdul described the partnership with the REA as a convergence of sound public policy and proven private-sector capability focused on delivering reliable electricity that supports livelihoods, improves healthcare and education, and reduces reliance on diesel in rural and peri-urban communities.
