Rebecca Mu’azu, Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has flagged off the construction of a 1 Megawatt Solar Mini-Grid Power Project in Talasse, Balanga Local Government Area, in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and other development partners.
The project, expected to be completed within four months, will provide 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to over 8,000 households in Talasse and surrounding communities.
Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Inuwa Yahaya described the project as a milestone in his administration’s energy expansion agenda and a model for effective Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the power sector.
“Today, we are formally kickstarting a project that will connect communities that have, for far too long, remained unconnected to the national grid,” the Governor stated.
He said the project would provide clean, reliable, and affordable power to light up homes, power small businesses, and create jobs for the teeming youth population.
The Governor explained that the project aligned with his administration’s vision of attracting investments that harness the state’s vast energy potential and drive inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.
He added that the Electricity Act 2023 had empowered states to chart their energy paths through sound regulation of power generation, transmission, and distribution.
The Governor noted that the Talasse project was only the beginning, saying, “We are already planning subsequent phases that will bring similar facilities to other unserved and underserved communities across Gombe State.”
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and reform agenda in the electricity sector, which, he said, had provided the blueprint for states to pursue off-grid and renewable energy solutions tailored to local needs.
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Governor Yahaya also thanked the REA, World Bank, MIDS Dynamics, and other partners for their technical and financial collaboration, urging them to uphold the highest standards in project execution.
The Managing Director of REA, Mr Abba Aliyu, commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s strong leadership and commitment to development partnerships, noting that Gombe had become a model for other states in leveraging PPPs for energy access.
He announced plans by the REA to deliver additional solar projects across ten other LGAs in the state, further consolidating the state’s status as a renewable energy hub in Northern Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of MIDS Dynamics, Mr Halis Mohammed, said Gombe State was the first in Nigeria to commit counterpart funding for such a renewable energy project, describing the state as a pacesetter in energy transition.