mini-grids - The African Mirror

Sep

28

2024

World Bank plans to connect 300 millions Africans to electricity in six years

NEWS

THE World Bank has unveiled a bold plan to connect 300 million Africans to electricity in the next six years. The World Bank believes that Africa will soon be the world’s largest workforce and have an opportunity to transform the continent into a global economic powerhouse. The World Bank said currently, about 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity. This forces them to rely on firewood and charcoal or expensive and polluting generators to cook, stay warm, and keep the lights on in their homes and businesses. The Bank said: “Turning on the switch for more Africans,…

Nigeria’s chronic power shortages: mini-grids were going to crack the problem for rural people, but they haven’t. Here’s why

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

ELECTRICITY is a scarce commodity in Nigeria. With just over 4,000 megawatts supplying nearly 220 million people, the electricity access deficit stands at about 40% nationwide. The picture looks even darker in rural areas. There, 73% of the population is off the power grid. Rural electrification is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7: “access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” Enter mini-grids: community-scale electricity generation and distribution systems, typically under 100 kilowatts in size. Mini-grids have emerged in the last decade as a cost-effective solution for many rural parts of Africa. According to one estimate, the…

Nigerian businesses turn to solar as diesel costs bite

NEWS

MACDONALD DZIRUTWE NIGERIA'S solar companies are seeing a surge in demand for mini-grids and equipment as businesses in Africa's biggest oil producer look for alternative power sources after the cost of diesel soared locally due to rising global oil prices. Supply constraints could, however, hamper their ability to capitalize on the trend, with some saying they have begun to turn away customers because they are unable to meet demand. Nigeria, Africa's largest economy with a population of more than 200 million people, has installed electricity capacity of 12,500 megawatts but the national grid only provides 4,000 MW at peak, leaving…