Niger State Government has reached an agreement to partner with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the implementation of the Niger State Solar Electrification Project.
Bologi Ibrahim, the spokesperson to the state Governor, in a statement on Monday, said the project, which is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, is to cover 200 hectares of land with a cost of $163m to provide an alternative source of power to many communities.
According to the statement, the state Governor, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, who received the preparation Mission team for the Niger State Solar Electrification Project code-named NGA1063, said the State Government has spent and invested a lot in the agricultural sector, pointing out that the Solar electrification project will complement in terms of food production and industrialization.
Governor Bago acknowledged the vital roles the Islamic Development Bank has played in the State through various intervention projects, said the Bank’s decision to build 100megawatts of solar power in the State is a huge investment that will help increase productivity and revenue generation, as well as pay for itself.
He also admitted that the electrification project will address multi – sectorial issues.
The Governor, while appreciating the Islamic Development Bank for the sustained partnership, said the state will ensure that it maintains all the projects as the state remains positioned to harness its potential in renewable energy.
The Task Team Lead, Daniyar Abylkhan, disclosed that the Bank is depending on the abundance of sunlight in Niger State to harness electricity for solar power and commended the Governor’s initiative for diversifying the means of harnessing energy to meet the needs of the people.
Mr. Abylkhan said the IsDB is in a long-standing development partnership with Niger state, having entered agreement with the state in the reconstruction of Minna/Bida road, adding that the level of success of the project so far is one of the major reasons why the IsDB wants to always come back to the State for more partnerships.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Usman Abubakar disclosed that the meeting is to kickstart the IsDB preparation for the Niger State Solar Electrification Project, which he said is to be funded by the Bank.
He said that the primary purpose is to review what the State has put together with relevant stakeholders, so as to develop a document that will enable them to carry out the appraisal as part of the process that will qualify the State to obtain the necessary approval.
Making a brief presentation on the Project, one of the project consultants, Umar Faruk Batagarawa, said, Niger State is uniquely positioned because it has complementary power-generating sites.
As such, the solar project will equally help in stabilizing the national grid, as it will be an addition to the 2,000 megawatts being produced from Niger State.
Another consultant, Mohammed Mahdi Abubakar, who gave an overview on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, said it has become necessary to conduct research as a factor for the successful implementation of any project and stated that community engagement remains a critical factor in the project as the people’s buy-in has to be sought before embarking on any project.
