Nigeria's NCC and REA sign MoU to expand digital networks with renewable energy
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 24 July 2026 during a stakeholder workshop in Abuja. The MoU, themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria,” aims to align telecom rollout with rural electrification by sharing geospatial data, co‑locating infrastructure and powering base stations and fibre sites with off‑grid renewable projects. NCC Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by Engr. Abraham Oshadami, said reliable electricity and digital connectivity are “mutually reinforcing foundations of an inclusive and productive economy.”
Separately, REA announced that 15 Nigerian universities are now fully connected to solar farms under its Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale‑up (DARES) programme, which targets electricity access for roughly 17.5 million people. The agency reports deployment of more than 1,000 mini‑grids—both isolated and interconnected—and is pursuing 48 interconnected mini‑grid projects with distribution companies. A nationwide mapping exercise has identified over 750,000 communities for future renewable‑energy interventions, and REA is securing private‑sector financing through multiple memoranda of understanding with banks.
Entities: Abba Aliyu · Dr. Aminu Maida · Engr. Abraham Oshadami · Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) · Rural Electrification Agency (REA)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] REA has connected 15 universities to solar farms nationwide. (Third article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] REA has deployed more than 1,000 mini‑grids nationwide, including 48 interconnected mini‑grid projects. (Third article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] REA completed a nationwide mapping identifying over 750,000 communities needing electricity intervention. (Third article)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The workshop was themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria”. (Both articles)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Dr. Aminu Maida said reliable electricity and digital connectivity are mutually reinforcing foundations of an inclusive economy. (Both articles)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NCC and REA signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 24 July 2026 to drive digital infrastructure expansion through renewable energy. (Both articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The DARES project aims to provide electricity to about 17.5 million Nigerians. (Third article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] REA will provide geospatial data on electrification projects while NCC will share USPF deployment information. (First article)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The MoU workshop was themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria”. (NCC/REA event)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] REA is working on 48 interconnected mini‑grid projects in collaboration with electricity distribution companies. (REA)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NCC and REA signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 24 July 2026 to accelerate sustainable digital infrastructure in Nigeria. (NCC and REA)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The DARES project aims to provide electricity to about 17.5 million Nigerians and is the largest publicly funded renewable energy access project in the world. (REA (DARES project))