The commissioning of a 581-kilowatt peak (kWp) interconnected solar mini-grid is reshaping economic activities in Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, with businesses and artisans benefiting from improved electricity supply.
Implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) under its Rural Electrification Fund–Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (REF-IMAS), the project was developed by Nayo Tropical Technologies Ltd. with support from German Cooperation and the European Union through GIZ. The facility comprises 1,336 solar panels, 84 batteries, about 10 kilometres of distribution cables and transformers serving residential and productive users.
The project has already supported a range of businesses in the community, including 12 welding businesses, two pure-water companies, four grain mills, four aluminium workshops, an ice-block producer and a cold-room/ice-fish depot. Three electricity vendors are also operating, while additional vendors are expected to be registered.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented at the commissioning by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, said reliable electricity was essential for creating opportunities for enterprise, employment and improved livelihoods. Power Minister Olasunkanmi Tegbe similarly described the project as an investment in the productive capacity of the community.
REA Managing Director, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said the impact of electrification should be measured by the opportunities created for communities. He noted that new businesses were emerging and existing productive activities expanding in Oke-Oyi, while construction of the project had also provided temporary jobs for artisans and labourers.
Stakeholders, including the Ilorin East Local Government, development partners, IBEDC and community leaders, called for protection and sustainable use of the facility. For Oke-Oyi residents, the expectation is that reliable electricity will continue to drive business growth, create jobs and improve livelihoods.
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