The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Abba Aliyu, said the agency’s 2026 proposal is aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s energy transition and expanding electricity access to critical institutions and rural communities nationwide.

Aliyu disclosed this in a media interaction on the sidelines of the 2026 Budget Defence session organised by the House Committee on Rural Electrification at the National Assembly in Abuja.

The Rural Electrification Agency boss said over 500 electrification projects are captured in the N170 billion 2026 budget proposal, including N100 billion for the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative to power Ministries, Departments and Agencies through hybrid mini-grids.

He added that the budget also provides for grid extensions, renewable mini-grids for agrarian communities and solar home systems for remote areas.

On performance, he said the agency achieved 85 per cent implementation in 2024 and has recorded 32 per cent so far in 2025 despite low fund releases.

Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Rural Electrification, Mohammed Bukar, said the committee was satisfied with the agency’s submissions following detailed scrutiny during the session in Abuja, while assuring that oversight visits would be conducted to ensure accountability.