Nigeria’s REA partners with AANI to boost renewable energy for farmers

At a National Stakeholders Engagement Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) signed seven memoranda of understanding, including one with the Agricultural Agenda Nigeria Initiative (AANI), to expand renewable‑energy solutions for smallholder farmers. Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe stressed that electrification should drive productivity, not just infrastructure, and highlighted the Productive Use of Energy (PUE) agenda as key to agriculture, industry and job creation.

The REA‑AANI agreement aims to provide solar‑powered irrigation, cold‑storage facilities and other energy‑efficient equipment, alongside financing and policy support, to improve yields, cut post‑harvest losses and raise farmer incomes. REA’s managing director Abba Aliyu noted that strong institutional coordination is essential for lasting impact, while AANI president Amb. Ephraim Audu called the partnership a step toward the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.