By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mercy Corps to strengthen electricity cooperatives towards improved electricity access in the country.
The signing took place at the Corporate Headquarters of the Agency in Abuja on Thursday, 4th July, 2024, a statement made available by the agency to SUMMIT POST said.
According to the statement, the MoU aims to Provide Capacity Building and strengthen the Rural Electricity Users Cooperative Society (REUCS), Provide Technical Assistance for the Africa Mini-grid Programme – AMP as well as Support in the development of Sustainable Business Model for the Operations and Maintenance of the Korean Energy Project.
The Managing Director/CEO, Abba Abubakar Aliyu while giving his remarks said, “Today’s MoU signing strengthen REA’s drive for sustainability of projects.
There is a need to always plan for the end of projects and to indeed put in sustainable measures that will drive the continuity of the project post completion.
“At REA, the REUCS is the platform used to ensure this sustainability. This platform ensures operation and maintenance of the projects as well as security of the infrastructure and revenue collection. Mercy Corps through years of expertise under this strategic partnership will help the Agency towards sustaining projects deployed.”
The Country Director, Mercy Corps Nigeria, Ndubuisi Anyawu said “Today is pivotal for us with this signing with the REA. It is not just a formality but a spark that ignites partnership. We stand firm with REA’s mandate and envision a Nigeria that no matter how remote has access to electricity that powers homes, education, healthcare and social development. This MoU represents a powerful partnership that will mobilise communities to form strong cooperatives that will ensure economic growth. We are honoured to partner with REA”
This collaboration signifies the willingness and commitment of the organisations in boosting the socio-economic lives of rural communities in Nigeria through provision of electricity.
REA, is the implementing agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under the Federal Ministry of Power tasked with the electrification of unserved and underserved communities.
Established under part IX, Sections 88- 89 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), 2005, the REA is currently implementing several other projects which equally aim to increase access to electricity by Nigerians such as the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Solar Power Naija (SPN) among others.
Mercy Corps on the other hand is a global humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) operating in societies that have undergone, or have been undergoing, various forms of socio-economic as well as political instabilities, with primary focus on disaster relief and capacity building.
