The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, to appear before it and account for loans and grants managed by the agency.
The directive followed a resolution adopted at a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday after a motion moved by Rep. Paul Kalejaiye.
Lawmakers warned that failure to comply could lead to his arrest on the directive of the Nigeria Police Force.
What the committee said
Members of the committee said the ultimatum became necessary after several invitations to the agency’s managing director were ignored.
Rep. Shina Oyedeji noted that the hearing presented another opportunity for Aliyu to appear, but he neither attended nor sent a representative.
- Lawmakers said the agency received about N151 billion from government appropriations between 2015 and 2024 for solar hybrid mini-grids, solar home systems and street lighting projects.
- They also cited approximately $550 million in grants from the World Bank and the African Development Bank between 2018 and 2024 to support solar mini-grids, energy efficiency equipment and electricity supply projects for universities and teaching hospitals.
- The committee further stated that about N13 billion was contributed to the Rural Electrification Fund within the same period, alongside an additional $8 million grant from the German government and the European Union in 2022 to expand reliable electricity access.
Backstory
Nairametrics reported that the House of Representatives had mandated its Committee on Renewable Energy to investigate Ministries, Departments, and Agencies involved in renewable energy investments, procurement, and grants from 2015 to date.
- The decision followed the adoption of a resolution titled “Need to Investigate Investments in Renewable Energy Sector and Foreign Grants received from 2015 till date,” sponsored by Jesse Okey Joe Onuakalusi, representing Oshodi-Isolo II Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
- Lawmakers highlighted that electricity is critical for economic and social development, and noted that despite more than $2 billion in renewable energy investments and foreign grants over the past decade, there has been little improvement in the sector.
Projects such as the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), a $200 million off-grid energy initiative funded by the African Development Bank to reach over 500,000 people was cited as key examples of unaccounted investments.
More insights
Committee members stressed that accounting for the funds is critical to maintaining Nigeria’s credibility with international development partners whose grants support electricity access and productivity growth.
- Committee Chairman Rep. Afam Ogene said at least five invitation letters had been sent to the agency and acknowledged, yet the managing director failed to honour them.
- He ruled that Aliyu must appear before the committee by 11 a.m. Wednesday or risk arrest by security agencies to compel compliance.
What you should know
Nigeria has increasingly relied on donor funding and international development partnerships to close electricity access gaps, particularly in rural areas where grid expansion remains limited.
The Rural Electrification Agency was created to expand electricity access across Nigeria, especially in underserved rural areas, by deploying renewable energy solutions and coordinating donor‑funded programmes.
This week, Nairametrics reported that the REA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deploy solar power systems to 15 public institutions in Nigeria under the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), a World Bank-supported initiative.
ECOWAS will provide a $700,000 grant to fund installations in rural health centres and schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa States.
