Vice President Kashim Shettima has backed a partnership between the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) to deliver cheap energy across agro-processing hubs nationwide. He believes the initiative will unlock agricultural growth and raise living standards in farming communities, according to Stanley Nkwocha, the president's senior special assistant on media and communications.
Shettima, represented at the memorandum of understanding signing by Ibrahim Hadejia, the deputy chief of staff to the president, said the deal will cover joint assessments, technical support and energy rollout across all SAPZ sites. The federal government welcomes the collaboration and will push for more partnerships to unlock the nation's potential, especially in agriculture, Hadejia told attendees.
Agriculture minister Abubakar Kyari praised the joint effort between the African Development Bank and the federal power ministry through REA as a major step forward. He said the SAPZ will resolve critical problems faced by farmers and other agricultural sector players once it becomes fully operational.
The programme extends beyond fixing infrastructure gaps, Kyari noted, as it also aims to boost farmer incomes and rural livelihoods in line with the government's Renewed Hope Agenda. Mahmuda Mamman, permanent secretary in the power ministry, pledged full ministry backing for the REA-SAPZ collaboration.
REA managing director Abba Aliyu highlighted the agency's track record: it has completed 424 mini-grid electrification projects and is running 693 others across the country. Under the SAPZ partnership, the initiative targets 25,000 households, 13 health facilities and direct impact for over 103,000 people in each designated zone, he explained.
Kabir Yusuf, national programme coordinator for SAPZ, said energy supply remains one of the biggest obstacles blocking the programme's success nationwide. The mini-grid deployment through REA will boost production centre economies and give neighbouring communities access to reliable, sustainable power, he added.
