Nigeria Becomes Africa’s Renewable Energy Leader

For the first time in our history, Nigeria is not just known for power cuts and weak electricity supply. Today, our country is being recognized across Africa and beyond as a leader in renewable energy.

Past governments laid the groundwork, but now we are seeing a huge push for growth and action.

This progress is thanks to the commitment of the Federal Government, led by our visionary leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe. They are determined to make Nigeria’s electricity sector sustainable and appealing to investors.

This trust and reform have turned Nigeria into a hotspot for international clean energy investments.

A recent report from BloombergNEF, the Sub-Saharan Africa Clean Energy Market Outlook 2026, shows Nigeria as the biggest and fastest-growing market for distributed solar and small-scale renewable energy. Nigeria has attracted an $80 million debt facility to expand off-grid solar home systems and business power solutions.

In addition, UK-based clean energy company MOPO signed a $75 million deal to roll out a new smart battery programme in partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

WeLight, which operates nearly 190 mini-grids in Madagascar and Mali, serving over 800,000 people, also plans to invest in Nigeria’s off-grid market.

These significant investments show that international banks and developers now see Nigeria as a solid choice, not a risky one. Nigeria is viewed as the most promising off-grid energy market in Africa.

Besides foreign investments, we are working closely with state governments and various government agencies. We want to make sure that mini-grid deployment, electrification planning, and regulations work well together as a national system.

This internal drive is creating a strong shift. Nigeria is becoming a key place for learning and sharing knowledge among African countries.

When we welcomed our first delegation from Mozambique to the Rural Electrification Agency last year, I thought about how important it is for African nations to grow together by learning from each other.

Today, that idea has become a reality. Hosting a group from the Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA) showed how far we have come. It proved that REA is becoming a central place where the future of African energy is being shaped.

Our meetings with ZURA were open and honest. We talked about our successes, but we also discussed the challenges, policy changes, and lessons we have learned while expanding off-grid renewables.

From raising funds to ensuring stable power supply, one thing is clear: Africa will achieve universal energy access faster if we work together instead of in isolation.

I am very proud that REA’s experience has become a resource for the continent. Every Nigerian should feel proud because we are not just building power infrastructure in Nigeria. We are creating a model for how rural electrification can be expanded across Africa.

This is only the beginning. With a delegation from Sierra Leone coming next week and more visits planned, we are at a key moment where African nations are choosing to progress together instead of alone. When one of us succeeds, the whole continent moves forward.

The work continues.