Vice President Kashim Shettima praised the partnership between the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, which is designed to increase access to affordable electricity across agroprocessing centers in Nigeria.
The deployment of sustainable energy infrastructure at SAPZ sites across the country was commended by Shettima during their signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the REA and the SAPZ programme.
Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice President, acted as a spokesperson for the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and expressed the Federal Government’s approval of the collaboration, which he believes is aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential in agriculture.
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Through the agreement, the Desert to Power Programme of REA will include joint project assessments, technical assistance, and deployment-based energy solutions across SAPZ locations.
As per Shettima’s statement on the partnership, it is in line with the Federal Government’ aims to improve rural electrification and strengthen agricultural value chains while also creating an environment conducive to agro-industrial growth. The government has pledged to support these efforts.
As part of the proposed partnership, the project is expected to provide electricity to around 25,000 homes and 13 hospitals, directly benefiting more than 103,000 people in each location where it is being implemented.
The project is expected to boost agro-processing zones’ productivity, improve access and availability of reliable energy, and support wider programs aimed at promoting food security, job creation, sustainable economic development nationwide.
