Education
Govt intensifies grid modernisation to boost electricity access nationwide – EnviroNews
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The Federal Government of Nigeria says it is intensifying grid modernisation, renewable energy integration and strategic partnerships to improve electricity access, strengthen supply and accelerate power sector reforms nationwide.
The Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, said this on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the 16th Distinguished Engineering Award Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) in Lagos.
Tegbe, represented by the Director of Renewable and Rural Power Access, Dr Sunday Owolabi, said the government was deploying digital technologies, smart grid solutions and increased private sector participation to modernise the national grid.
He spoke at the lecture titled, “Interconnectivity Strategy for Distributed Generation in Multi-Community Mini Grids with Adaptive Grid Integration Pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa”.
According to him, distributed generation offers a practical solution to improving grid stability while expanding electricity access to underserved communities.
He said government alone could not deliver the desired transformation of the power sector, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among government, academia, professional bodies, development partners and private investors.
Delivering the lecture, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Protogy Global Services Ltd., Mr. Isaac Agoro, urged Nigeria to focus more on interconnected mini grids and smart distribution networks to accelerate electricity access.
Agoro said strengthening electricity distribution should take precedence over expanding costly transmission infrastructure.
“We cannot talk about interconnectivity without a smart distribution grid,” he said.
Agoro said interconnected mini grids would enable neighbouring communities to share electricity, improve supply reliability and reduce infrastructure costs.
According to him, Nigeria’s electricity challenges are driven more by engineering limitations than the lack of technology.
Agoro called on government, universities and industry to develop indigenous technologies tailored to the country’s electricity needs.
He advocated improved engineering standards and reliable technical data for planning, equipment design and system integration.
To encourage innovation, he announced a N10 million endowment to support engineering research into practical solutions to the nation’s energy challenges.
Earlier, the President of NIEEE, Dr Felix Adegboye, said implementation of the Electricity Act had created opportunities for decentralised power solutions.
Adegboye said Nigeria should develop reliable and scalable electricity systems capable of connecting neighbouring communities and integrating seamlessly with the national grid.
He described interconnected mini grids as a practical solution to addressing energy poverty across the country.
Also, President of the Chartered Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of Nigeria, Mr. Kings Adeyemi, said the growing number of electricity prosumers was reshaping the country’s power sector.
Adeyemi called for stronger professional certification and capacity development to equip engineers with the skills required for emerging technologies and decentralised electricity systems.
The event attracted government officials, industry leaders, academics and traditional rulers.
It also featured the conferment of NIEEE’s Distinguished Engineering Award on Agoro in recognition of his contributions to distributed energy solutions and electrical engineering practice.
By Olusegun Aribike
