The Federal Government has signed a comprehensive Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to accelerate solar energy adoption in Nigeria.
Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the agreement was formalised by the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, and ISA Director-General, Mr. Ashish Khanna, during the Alliance’s Seventh Regional Committee Meeting for Africa held in Accra, Ghana.
The event brought together African governments, development partners, and financial institutions to chart a common pathway for expanding solar energy across the continent.
According to Tunji, the partnership establishes a three-year action plan focusing on advocacy, capacity building, and programmatic support. Key initiatives include scaling up solar applications in agriculture, promoting rooftop solar installations, deploying mini-grids, and establishing a Solar Technology and Application Resource (STAR) Centre.
A major highlight of the framework is the creation of a $500 million DRE Nigeria Fund, designed to catalyse investment in distributed renewable energy projects, with regulatory support from the Ministry of Power.
Speaking at the event, Adelabu said the partnership was more than providing electricity—it was about powering national development.
“Decentralised renewable energy solutions are not merely about providing light to households; they are about unlocking development, powering schools and clinics, energising small and medium enterprises, supporting agricultural processing, driving e-mobility, and creating opportunities for digital inclusion in rural communities,” he said.
He stressed that every mini-grid and solar system deployed translates into tangible benefits—children studying under better conditions, clinics functioning effectively, entrepreneurs thriving, and farmers irrigating their fields.
Adelabu further described the agreement as part of the “transformational promise of renewable energy for Africa,” noting that Ghana and The Gambia also signed similar agreements, signalling a growing wave of regional cooperation.
By placing solar energy at the heart of its national strategy, he said, Nigeria is moving decisively toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient economy.
