Tegbe commissions 581kWp solar mini-grid, 1.4MW battery system in Kwara

By Udeme Akpan
The Federal Government has commissioned a 581kWp interconnected solar mini-grid with a 1.4MW battery energy storage system at Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The project, designed to supply power during the day and night, is expected to serve about 1,800 households and businesses in the community.
Commissioning the facility, Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the battery storage system would enable the mini-grid to continue supplying electricity after sunset, strengthening the government’s drive to expand reliable power to underserved communities.
The project was delivered under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS) and supported by the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), with funding and technical support from the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany through GIZ and other development partners, including UNICEF.
Tegbe described IMAS as a model for public-private collaboration in the power sector, saying the scheme uses public funding to attract private developers, establishes clear market rules and promotes commercially viable projects.
“As we energize this community, we are also energizing businesses, creating opportunities, empowering young people, improving livelihoods, and building a more resilient future for Nigeria,” he said.
He urged residents to protect the facility from vandalism and criminal interference, stressing that the infrastructure was built for the benefit of the community and future generations.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) said the Oke-Oyi project demonstrated the potential of interconnected mini-grids to combine renewable energy with existing distribution networks.
He said the agency would continue to scale the model through stronger financing, regulatory and institutional frameworks, while ensuring proper maintenance and community ownership.
He acknowledged the contributions of the Federal Ministry of Power, Kwara State Government, development partners, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited to the project.
Representing Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, said the project would help strengthen economic activity in rural communities and reduce rural-urban migration.
He commended the Federal Government’s power-sector initiatives and the project’s focus on extending infrastructure beyond major urban centres.
The Oke-Oyi facility adds to the Federal Government’s portfolio of rural and off-grid projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda.