Nigeria Police Trust Fund, Agency, Others To Deploy Renewable Energy Solutions

The Nigeria Police Trust Fund, Rural Electrification Agency, Nigeria Immigration Service, and other agencies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the deployment of renewable energy-based electrification solutions.

The MoU, which was signed on Friday by all affected parties in Abuja, comprehensively encompasses the strategies, volumes, and timeline for the project.

At the event, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Mohammed Sheidu, said the partnership would have a profound impact on the welfare and operational readiness of the Nigeria Police Force.

Sheidu further stated that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rural Electrification Agency and the Nigerian Police Trust Fund is a testament to the shared commitment to harness renewable energy for the benefit of the Nigerian Police Force and, ultimately, the Nigerian people.

“The deployment of solar-powered infrastructure across police facilities nationwide will not only reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources but also provide sustainable and reliable power to our police personnel, enhancing their capacity to serve and protect.”

Fruitful partnership

The MOU aims to establish a framework for a fruitful partnership, focusing on the planning, implementation, and monitoring of projects targeted at electrifying key police facilities through the provision of solar-powered solutions.

“The idea is to improve electric vehicle infrastructure and clean energy initiatives, which align perfectly with the broader goals of promoting sustainability, energy security, and enhanced mobility for our community.”

On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Mallam Abba Aliyu, stated that the partnership is not about signing a document and leaving, but about signing a roadmap on which the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and government agencies can assist in addressing key electricity challenges in the country.

To that end, Mallam Aliyu said the Rural Electrification Agency, by virtue of the Electrification Act, is required to develop the National Electricity Strategy and Implementation Plan.

“This plan will serve as a pathway for the entire country towards electrification. The plan, which is going to be a bottom-up plan, will map out the existing electricity infrastructure of each community and each state, and will now be integrated into a national plan.”

This plan will also have specific sector interventions. The plan will include an electricity plan for education, an electricity plan for health, and an electricity plan for agriculture. Based on this, we deem it necessary to quickly establish a structured arrangement with key players operating within these sectors. Hence, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund.

Mallam Aliyu further stated that one of the key drivers of electrification is to address the security challenges affecting the country.

“We also see it as necessary to involve two key players who play a critical role in ensuring security and addressing the security challenges in the country. We aim to sign a structured arrangement with them to facilitate and enable their work without hindrance.

That is why we are also signing an MoU with the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Police Trust Fund. However, the people who will carry out this work are from the private sector.” He said.

Because the government alone cannot solve the problems of power, it is the role of the private sector to bring in funds and financing to invest in and address this challenge of electricity in the country, Aliyu stated.

Key stakeholders involved in the MoU include Renewable Energy Service Companies and key government agencies—Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), and National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).

In its quest to address the electricity challenge in the country, the Nigerian government signed the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralized the sector and liberalized the entire value chain. Now, the implication of that is that there will be many players operating within the electricity value chain, and the resultant effect will be a win-win for all.

Olusola Akintonde