By Ademola Ade
The Federal Government has commenced a 17.7-megawatt solar-powered electricity project in Ibadan, Oyo State, targeting 22,597 electricity connections across five community clusters, as it assures Nigerians that there are no plans to increase electricity tariffs.
The Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, gave the assurance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the interconnected mini-grid project at Bishop Phillips Academy, Iwo Road, Ibadan, declaring that the government’s priority was to deliver reliable, round-the-clock electricity rather than impose higher tariffs on consumers.
“There is no plan to increase electricity tariffs. What we are planning is a power sector that works around the clock. Our commitment is 24/7 power,” Tegbe said.
The project, being implemented under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme, is expected to expand electricity access to five community clusters across Akinyele, Ido, Ibadan North, Egbeda and Lagelu local government areas of Oyo State.
The beneficiary communities are Bola, Jiboye, Molade-Adelubi, Ogo-Oluwa and Sooko-Elega.
Beyond connecting thousands of households and businesses to electricity, the initiative is expected to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel generators, lower operating costs for businesses and stimulate economic activities across the communities.
Tegbe said the administration was working towards a power sector capable of delivering uninterrupted electricity, with initial interventions focused on three major industrial and residential corridors before extending improvements to other parts of the country.
He identified the Lagos-Ogun corridor, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and the Benin-Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor as priority zones under the government’s electricity reliability initiative.
According to him, the national grid is undergoing extensive upgrades along its eastern and western corridors, alongside improvements at critical generation and transmission facilities.
The minister listed Funtua, Kainji, Gwagwalada, Gombe, Makurdi, Ajaokuta, Ikot Ekpene, Benin and Egbin among locations earmarked for strategic infrastructure improvements.
He said the interventions aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its commitment to expanding electricity access nationwide.
18 transformers for beneficiary communities
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr Abba Aliyu, described the project as evidence of the government’s commitment to expanding electricity access through private-sector investment and sustainable energy solutions.
He said reliable electricity would enable businesses to operate longer, reduce expenditure on self-generation, improve productivity and attract new investments.
“Reliable electricity means longer operating hours for businesses, lower dependence on expensive self-generation, increased productivity, new investment and ultimately more jobs and economic opportunities,” Aliyu said.
He disclosed that 18 transformers would be installed under the initiative to strengthen electricity distribution across the beneficiary communities.
Aliyu also said the agency was advancing additional projects with a combined capacity of 17.7MW in Ibadan, targeting major institutions, including the University College Hospital, the University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Mr Deolu Ijose, said the project would utilise the company’s existing distribution infrastructure to integrate and deliver electricity generated by Paras Energy to the beneficiary communities.
According to him, the interconnected mini-grid model would combine existing network assets with additional generation capacity to improve electricity availability and supply reliability for households, businesses and other consumers.
Ijose said the arrangement demonstrated how electricity distribution companies could collaborate with independent energy developers to address electricity access challenges while supporting commercially sustainable energy solutions.
He cited IBEDC’s experience with the Mokoloki Mini-Grid Project in Ogun State in 2019 and the Oke-Oyi interconnected mini-grid project in Kwara State, commissioned on September 24, 2026, in partnership with Nayo Tropical Technology Limited.
Oyo targets industrial growth through power projects
Representing Governor Seyi Makinde at the ceremony, the Oyo State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Professor Dahud Sangodoyin, said the state government was pursuing electricity sector reforms and infrastructure development to support industrialisation and economic growth.
“If we develop our electricity, we will have more industries in Ibadan,” Sangodoyin said.
He disclosed that the state enacted its Electricity Law in 2024 and established the Oyo State Electricity Commission to encourage investment, promote transparency in the electricity market and protect consumers.
According to him, the first 5MW phase of the state’s 11MW hybrid independent power project, designed to serve the state secretariat and other public facilities, was commissioned in 2024.
Sangodoyin added that the 12MW Ibadan gas power project, alongside its associated transmission infrastructure, was nearly 75 per cent complete.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, who joined Tegbe in performing the groundbreaking ceremony, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, saying improved electricity supply would benefit households, businesses and livelihoods across the beneficiary communities.
The Managing Director of Paras Energy and Natural Resources Development Limited, Mr Yashwant Kumar, pledged the company’s commitment to delivering the project in line with the required standards.
The project adds to ongoing efforts by federal and state authorities to improve electricity supply through renewable energy, distributed generation and partnerships with private-sector operators.
