Facilitating Alternative Clean Energy Solutions

Access to Energy (A2E)

Summary of Outcomes:

The hard-to-reach coastal communities in the Niger Delta region suffer poor electrification. Due to their location, most of these communities are off the national grid. Some have never had access to electricity. Since 2018, PIND has been tackling this issue by facilitating alternative and affordable off-grid energy solutions, capable of targeting not only basic energy needs (i.e., lighting and cooking energy) but also productive use of energy at both household and rural enterprise levels (such as use in barber shops and beauty salons).

Partnerships are at the core of interventions, and in 2022, we worked to stimulate interest and attract more investments into the Niger Delta off-grid electricity market. Private sector investors were engaged through demonstrations and workshops where we shared our A2E model. Some of these were major energy stakeholders such as Renewable Energy Service Providers of Nigeria (RESPON) and Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) – two key stakeholders in the supply side of mini-grids and equipment in the country. Others were mini-grid developers such as Darway Coast Limited and Ashdam Solar Limited; traditional solar rooop installers such as ProSolar Limited, EnergyPro Limited, and Irradiance Limited; and community-led social enterprises such as the advocacy center. PIND also met with Ekovolt – a data solutions company partnering with the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to explore data connectivity in last-mile communities.

Recognizing that women are typically underrepresented across the community and household energy beneficiary's spectrum, demonstrations, workshops, and community engagement activities were undertaken to ensure access for and participation by all. The same best practice was cascaded to PIND's partners and private-sector power developers through continuous project handholding. They have advocated an increase in the productive use of electricity for female-headed businesses and female household members within their communities.

Similarly, female-led businesses are a rarity in Nigeria's renewable energy space, and PIND is commied to inspiring women to become mini-grid owners. In Q4 2022, PIND supported ETIN Power Ltd - a female-led power company- towards deploying a mini-grid in a riverine community in Edo state. This collaboraon is an advancement of PIND's efforts to have female power business owners represented within the spectrum of new power developers that PIND has championed. PIND also partnered with PODER Green Consulng Limited on a project tagged "Women for Energy Jobs," where 50 Niger Delta women would be trained in solar entrepreneurship jobs to support the technical manpower needs of the renewable energy sector in the region. Through this partnership, PIND will leverage N33.75 million through private sector investment toward creang FTE jobs for women.

Meanwhile, we connued facilitang connecons between communies and power developers in our commitment to light up the Niger Delta one community at a me. By the end of 2022, PIND leveraged N537.13 million in private sector investments for A2E soluons; 882 businesses and 1,896 households had gained access to electricity and accrued ₦595.969 million in financial benefits.