Nigerians now have great news that will cheer them up as it is not all about bad news in power sector. This is as a result of the activities of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme, NESP, with the aim to increase access to electricity in rural and peri-urban communities in Nigeria using sustainable business models, NESP in its second phase, has been working with different stakeholders to perform Monitoring and Evaluation activities across the six existing mini-grid communities, that were supported under NESP I. This has recorded lots of achievements.
The Nigerian Energy Support Programme, NESP, is a technical assistance programme, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ, and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power.
It aims to foster investments in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Rural Electrification.
The rapidly growing Nigerian Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency, RE/EE is impacting positively in the Rural Communities and Sub-Urban Communities in the country.
About the Nigerian Energy Support Programme, NESP.
NESP provides advisory services to the Nigerian Government with regards to energy policy and management. Objective: To promote investments in the domestic market for Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Rural Electrification.
The European Union Contributed 35 Million Euro and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, contributed 13 million Euro in support of the programme.
Electrification Planning & Data Management: The unit aims to create market intelligence through a database for the energy market in Nigeria. The database, will contain information on-grid infrastructure, off-grid settlements and energy efficiency. The database will serve as a basis for planning and monitoring strategies and services for the public actors, as well as providing market data for the investors.
These include data gathering activities, On-Grid Data Gathering, Off-Grid Data Gathering, development of an interactive database and training of key partners on Data Gathering and Management and Conduction of Mapathons.
Data Gathering: Achievements
On-Grid & OffGrid Data collected for 22 states, Over 60,000 km electricity grid tracked , 10 Remote Mapathons carried out, Over 3 million buildings & 3,500 settlements spread over the mapped states , Interactive geospatial data portal for electrification planning www.nigeriase4a ll.gov.ng.
Sustainable Energy Access (On-Grid & Off-Grid) establishes the necessary framework conditions, thus providing incentives for private investments in on-grid energy generation from renewable energy sources. Supports Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in improving the efficiency of transmission and distribution grids. In the off-grid area, NESP supports the Rural Electrification Agency and the federal states in the public-private process to extend the provision of off-grid renewable energy solutions to 130,000 people.
Sustainable Energy Access: Activities
Supports the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, on Mini-Grid Regulations, Mini-grid M&E portal, and cost reduction/ demand stimulation strategies, Risk mitigation mechanisms and fiscal incentives for Solar MiniGrids, FMP/REA tenders to deploy new Solar Mini-grids supplying 100,000 people, NEMSA Technical Inspection Guidelines for Solar Mini-Grids, Support towards the use of Clean Cookstoves .
Sustainable Energy Access: Achievements
REA, Rural Electrification Fund Operational Guidelines that led to WB and AfDB NEPs , 5 Pilot Solar Mini-Grids supplying 16,000 people, Solar Hybrid System at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory , NERC Mini-Grid Regulations & NEMSA Guideline for Solar Mini-Grid Inspection, Enabling policy frameworks for mini-grids in 5 States, Identified 8,000 new potential solar mini-grid sites via leastcost modelling .
Enabling Environment for RE & EE Investments Aims to improve energy efficiency in industry and buildings by implementing Energy Management Systems in industries, adopting the National Building Energy Efficiency Code at state level and by training professionals in the sectors to carry out energy audits. Supports the development of Standards for RE and EE equipment and explores mechanisms to improve access to finance solutions for RE/EE projects in Nigeria. Supports local training institutes in offering trainings on Solar Mini-Grid Design, Solar PV Installation and Solar PV Installation Supervision, with emphasis on the inclusion of females in the RE/EE sector by offering scholarships for the named trainings.
EE in Buildings: Activities
Adoption of National Building Energy Efficiency Code, BEEC, at State Level, Training & certification of Professional Energy Auditors, PEAs, conduction of Energy Audits in Buildings by certified PEAs, Implementation of BEEC in Building Design & Construction by Private Developers, Implementing the results of energy audit recommendations.
EE in Buildings: Achievements
300 building professionals trained in Building Energy Audit, 23 professionals certified as Professional Energy Auditors, EE/RE Equipment Manufacturers/ Suppliers matched with Private Developers, Building Design of 6 Private Developers reviewed, 120 building professionals trained in Building Energy Simulation Modelling, Energy Audit conducted by trained PEAs in 3 existing buildings.
EE in Industries: Activities
Implementation of Energy Management Systems, EnMS, in Industries, Strengthening the existing Energy Efficiency Network, EEN, in Nigeria, Establishing additional EEN in Nigeria, Training and certification of PEAs to carry out energy audits in Industries, Conduction of energy audits and Implementation of results of audit recommendation.
RE/EE Standards: Activities
Development of Standards for RE & EE equipment, Awareness creation for developed Standards and Procurement of AC Testing Facility for the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON.
RE/EE Standards: Achievements
73 industrial plant engineers, consultant energy engineers and policy makers trained on energy audit, 27 plant energy engineers trained on EnMS implementation and profitability, Energy Audits in 5 Industries being carried out, 30 companies participating in 3 Energy Efficiency Networks, Internal & External audits of 5 companies conducted and 27 Energy Engineers certified as Professional Energy Auditors.
Campaigns for Awareness Creation for AC MEPS and Label developed, Tender process for the Procurement of AC Testing Facility commenced, Standards for Solar PV, Batteries & Charge Controllers developed and approved and Baseline study on standard development for Solar PV, Batteries & Charge Controller conducted.
Finance & Services: Activities
Development & Implementation of Financing Schemes, Training of Financial Institutions and RE/EE Developers to assess and develop viable projects, Operationalisation of latent Nigerian Financing Schemes, Streamlining of the import process for RE/EE Equipment, Development of an online onestop investment platform, OSIP, for RE/EE investments and Organisational development support to RE/EE Associations.
Finance & Services: Achievements
Possible financing interventions identified, OSIP platform launched, Flowchart depicting the import process, RE & EE Associations Alliance launched, RE/EE Association representatives trained in Organisational Development.
Capacity Development: Activities
Training of young Nigerians on MiniGrid Design, Solar PV Installation & Solar PV Installation Supervision, Female scholarships for named trainings, Support towards NESP I a national certification process for RE/EE Trainings, Expansion of Training Partnership Network established during Support towards NESP.
Capacity Development: Achievements
604 young Nigerians (513 male/91 female) have been trained, 53 women received a fulltuition scholarship, GIZ Nigeria & COREN signed a MoU on clean energy certification of professionals, National Clean Energy Skills Certificate was launched in November 2021 and nine new training institutes signed an MoU to participate in Training Partnership Network.
Conclusion
The above records by NESP in addition to what All-on Hub is doing in Nigeria show that Darkness in Rural and Sub-Urban Communities will soon be a thing of the past as everywhere will soon be electrified.
