The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deploy renewable energy solutions.
The MoU aims to strengthen telecommunications services in rural and underserved communities across Nigeria.
The agreement, sealed at the NCC-REA Stakeholder Forum and MoU Signing Ceremony in Abuja, marks a significant step towards integrating renewable energy with telecommunications infrastructure.
The initiative aims to reduce the telecom sector’s dependence on diesel-powered base stations, while improving network availability through the deployment of mini-grids.
The forum, themed “Unlocking the Energy–Telecoms Nexus for Scalable Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria,” brought together government officials, telecommunications operators, tower companies, renewable energy developers, financiers, development partners and investors to explore strategies for integrating electricity and telecommunications infrastructure to accelerate digital inclusion.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at the NCC, Abraham Oshadami, described the partnership as a reflection of the strong interdependence between the power and telecommunications sectors.
According to him, telecommunications infrastructure relies heavily on stable electricity to function effectively, while electricity consumers increasingly depend on telecommunications services for smart metering, digital payments and other technology-driven energy services.
Oshadami disclosed that the agreement would maximise existing infrastructure by connecting telecommunications base stations located near operational and planned mini-grids.
“Where you have mini-grids, we’re able to identify base stations that are close to them so that we’ll be able to take electricity supply from the closest mini-grids,” he said.
He noted that the initiative would ensure telecommunications facilities remain operational even in areas without access to the national electricity grid, thereby improving service reliability and expanding digital access for millions of Nigerians.
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Technical Services at the Rural Electrification Agency, Umar Abdullahi, described the agreement as a major milestone that would end years of separate implementation by both agencies.
According to him, although the NCC and REA had individually recorded notable successes in expanding telecommunications and electricity access respectively, closer collaboration would enable both organisations to achieve greater impact.
“Prior to today, both agencies, NCC and REA, have been working in silos. They’ve achieved a lot in the telecom sector, and REA has achieved a lot in the power sector. By signing this MoU, we came together to have one agenda so that all our efforts are complementing each other,” he said.
He disclosed that an NCC-REA Collaboration Committee had already been established to coordinate implementation, develop pilot projects and recommend strategies for expanding the initiative nationwide.
 have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deploy renewable energy solutions.){kind=link}