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The World Bank and African Development Bank AfDB, have contracted Husk Power Systems, a solar mini-grid developer and rural energy services company to develop and operate seven mini-grids under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).
Husk announced this after it signed off the deal with the Nigerian representative Rural Electrification Agency (REA) through its Nigerian entity, Husk Power Energy Systems Nigeria Ltd.
The agreement is a sub-component of the NEP’s Solar Hybrid Minigrid Performance-Based Grant (PBG) that households, MSMEs and public organisations can benefit from.
The objective of the PBG program is to increase electricity access to unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria using solar hybrid technology.
The World Bank and AfDB will finance Husk with a minimum of $10,000 per mini-grid and $350 per connection under the terms of the PGB.
The scale of the project could draw over $2 million in funding for Husk.
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Husk solar mini-grids in Nigeria
The systems will consist of energy storage in batteries to supply around 5,000 electric connections within Doma and Lafia local government areas of Nasarawa state.
Rukubi, Idada, Igbabo, Kiguna, Akura, Gidan Buba, and Sabon Gida will have access to the grid.
A small amount of diesel might be necessary as backup in the Husk grid system the company also stated.
Since launching as a startup in 2008, U.S -based company Husk has operated in Nigeria, India and Tanzania. It has over 130 mini-grids in the latter two countries, the press releases said.
It makes clean, modern and affordable electricity affordable in Africa and Asia.
According to Olu Aruike in the press release, “Husk Power’s mission is to rapidly scale the electrification of rural communities and continuously spur economic growth for medium, small, and micro-enterprises in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa.”
The partnership with the REA will enable Husk to scale rapidly in Nigeria and as well as help its ambition of catalyzing socio-economic development in rural communities across the country Husk Power’s co-founder and CEO Manoj Sinha noted.
