REA, World Bank Visit Petti Community, Witness Transformative Impact of the NEP-PBG
On the 14th of September 2024, the MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, alongside the Head, Project Management Unit of the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Olufemi Akinyelure led a World Bank delegation on a visit to Petti, a community in Kwali LGA of the FCT being powered by a 60KwP solar mini-grid. About 2 years ago, Petti joined the list of communities nationwide that became sustainably powered through a solar mini-grid through the World Bank-funded Performance-Based Grant (PBG).
Upon the delivery of the Petti mini-grid, the community has witnessed transformative socio-economic change. During the REA’s visit this month, one of many since the project was activated, the VP for Infrastructure at the World Bank Guangzhe Chean and Franz Drees-Gross, Director of Infrastructure, West Africa, toured the community and engaged the beneficiaries who recounted the community’s history of transformation, impacting families, enabling the growth of MSMEs and powering households.
While reflecting on the visit, the Agency’s MD was delighted to meet Samuel, a young man who runs a cybercafé in Petti, a business he set up after the Petti mini-grid was activated. Samuel explained that the energy access intervention in his community inspired his return to Petti, after acquiring digital skills and certifications from the city. He explains that he optimizes the cybercafé as a training centre where young community members and trained on digital skills.
The REA MD, Abba Aliyu explained that one of the many inspiring sights in Petti is the adoption of electronic and digital commerce/payments within the community. He expressed his delight to learn that the community leverages various digital means to purchase energy units for prepaid metres, while equally performing other transactions, all from the comfort of their homes. The Head, Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Olufemi Akinyelure reemphasized the Agency’s commitment to accelerated deployment of clean energy interventions nationwide. He added that the PBG has been successful as it has led to the deployment of over 160 mini-grids nationwide.
