Mohammed Shosanya
The Katsina State,and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance decentralized solar power projects in underserved areas in the state.
The duo signed the pact during a recent Roundtable focused on sustainable energy solutions for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Signing the pact,Governor Dikko Umaru Radda expressed support for the REA’s initiatives during the event which aims to foster partnerships and improve energy access, aligning with the 2023 Electricity Act.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improve the lives and livelihood of indigenes of the state through the optimization of renewable energy solutions to power businesses, homes and communities.
According to him,beyond powering businesses through Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), the state is powering dreams and aspirations of Nigeria MSMEs, as MSMEs are the backbone of the economy.
He added:”By working with the REA,we aim to establish a sustainability framework that guarantees long-term functionality and effectiveness. Going forward, every project must include a clear sustainability structure, complete with local capacity, community ownership, and regular performance monitoring.
“With the support of the REA, we can achieve energy sufficiency, drive MSME development, and uplift the lives of our people. Our ongoing wind energy project in the state is a promising initiative, and we are eager to concession it. To expedite this process, we will rely on the REA’s active role in providing technical advice and support to ensure the concession is concluded efficiently”.
He assured the Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) of his administration’s commitment to ameliorating the sector’s pain points, while derisking the business landscape in Katsina for wider investments.
Speaking,the Managing Director/CEO of REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu explained that his agency has sustained its efforts on sector coordination,while exploiting data-driven strategies for renewable energy scale-up across Nigeria.
He said the energy ecosystem in state governments should be reinvigorated to fast-track the delivery of energy access interventions, nurture an enabling environment for private sector investments and strengthen the linkage between the States and RESCOs within the context of the Electricity Act.
He emphasized the central role of clean energy in the sustainability of MSMEs, assuring the Governor, of his agency’s readiness to catalyze investments in the energy sector while delivering the objectives of the Distributed Energy through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme.
The Director General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Hajiya Aisha Aminu Abdullahi-Malumfashi,said:“KASEDA has refocused its strategy towards powering MSMEs sustainably to drive youth participation in entrepreneurship”.
She emphasized the central role of clean, sustainable energy in the acceleration of the state’s business climate.
She added that: “The Roundtable with the REA is coming at a critical time when KASEDA is exploring a range of result-oriented programmes and initiatives in line with the futuristic ideas of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, targeted at shaping the energy access landscape in Katsina State”.
2672400cookie-checkKatsina,REA’s New MOU To Boost Solar Power In Underserved Areas
