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Today, Husk Power Systems (huskpowersystems.com), the rural clean energy services leader in Africa and Asia, launched its first six solar hybrid minigrids in Nigeria, located in Nasarawa State. It is the first time that a company has rolled out multiple mini-grids at one time under the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP), an initiative funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank and implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

Husk Power established its presence in Nigeria in early 2020, and its Abuja-based team has grown to more than 40 staff, with more than 50 part-time hires in the communities that Husk serves. With strong local leadership, Husk forecasts a fleet of more than 100 minigrids in Nigeria within the next 24 months, growing to 500 minigrids by 2026. It also plans to expand to several other Nigeria states before the end of 2023.

In Nasarawa, the newly launched minigrids will provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to about 5,000 households and 500 businesses in Doma and Lafia Local Government Areas (LGAs). The six communities accessing electricity for the first time are Rukubi, Idadu and Igbabo in Doma LGA, and Kiguna, Akura, and Gidan Buba in Lafia LGA.

“Nigeria’s leadership in rural electrification and making minigrids a centerpiece of national energy strategy is a global best practice,” said Manoj Sinha, Husk co-founder and CEO. “Husk Power is proud to be contributing to the government’s vision of public-private partnership to provide clean, quality, reliable electricity that powers economic opportunity for small businesses and households across the country.”

In September, Husk received financial support from Nigeria’s REA to develop seven hybrid solar minigrids in Nasarawa, as part of the NEP’s performance-based grant program. The seventh site will come online in 2022 along with a larger pipeline of projects. Besides providing electricity to the local Doma and Lafia households and businesses, the minigrids will also support local agricultural activities such as milling, cold chain and irrigation.

Photo courtesy of David Monje.