UK Government to Promote Off-Grid Renewable Energy Sector

The Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility (ACE TAF), a program funded by the government of the United Kingdom has declared its efforts to improve the enabling of environment for stand-alone and high-quality solar energy products. The program will also facilitate success and growth of the private sector.

The ACE TAF also identified barriers that still exist for scaling solutions available in the off-grid sector to achieve universal electrification for the people of Nigeria. Part of the identified achievements include the development of Action Plans and Off-Grid Solar Policies in the states like Kaduna, Lagos, Kano, and Jigawa as part of efforts to catalyse the transition, and adoption of the off-grid solar energy.

The ACE TAF program has also provided a fully equipped quality test laboratory for the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to support market surveillance, and the development of Importation Guide for Solar PV Products and Technologies. Both interventions were aimed at decreasing the number of poor-quality products reaching the market, and improving consumer confidence and stimulation of growth.

Chibuikem Agbaegbu, Nigeria Country Manager of ACE TAF, said stand-alone solar energy products are critical to bridge the energy access gap in Nigeria, where around 77 people does not have access to electricity.

He said that however, the consumers grapple with the growth of low quality products that does not boost confidence of the consumers, and the high cost of the products that pose affordability constraints for vulnerable, and rural groups.