TheCable

Nigeria has received an additional funding of 15 million euros as a grant from the European Union (EU) to support renewable energy development in the country.

This was disclosed at an event to mark the extension of the Nigerian energy support programme (NESP) phase II, which will run until November 30, 2022.

The NESP is a renewable energy project co-financed by the EU and the German government, and implemented by the Deutsche Geselleschaft für Internationale zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the federal ministry of power. 

It aims to increase investments for renewable energy in Nigeria and improve access to electricity for disadvantaged, rural communities.

The programme had an initial funding of 20 million euros, and with the new grant, the total funding now stands at 35 million euros from the EU, and 13 million euros from the German federal ministry of economic cooperation and development (BMZ).

Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, head of cooperation, EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said: “The programme is a notable example of efficient cooperation with GIZ and the Nigerian government to help the country achieve the renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.”

Ina Hommers, country director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, described the development of the Nigeria sustainable energy for all (Nigeria SE4ALL) platform, in collaboration with federal ministry of power, as a major milestone of NESP II.

The platform, which is a central energy data management system, was launched earlier in the year.

“The platform aims to offer the most accurate data and latest tools that empower data-driven and least cost electrification planning in Nigeria. Over 3,000 settlements and 2.6 million buildings have been remotely mapped, with over 50,000km of electricity grid tracked in 22 states,” Hommers said.