Bezos, Rockefeller, and IKEA Launch Solar Mini-Grid Initiative in Nigeria

Bezos, Rockefeller, and IKEA Launch Solar Mini-Grid Initiative in Nigeria

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), an initiative established by the Bezos Earth Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the IKEA Foundation, is piloting a solar mini-grid program in Nigeria aimed at tackling unreliable electricity and boosting productivity.

Founded in 2021, GEAPP is leading a program called Demand Aggregation for Renewable Technology (DART), which lowers solar equipment costs by consolidating the needs of developers. It also offers a $25 million financing facility for importing equipment, which can be repaid in naira. Muhammad Wakil, GEAPP’s country delivery lead, stated that this pooling approach can provide developers with savings of up to 30%.

The first project site features a one-megawatt solar mini-grid constructed by Nigerian company Darway Coast in Ogun State. It is expected to provide 24-hour electricity to the local community by the end of the year, replacing the current eight-hour supply from Ikeja Electric Plc. According to TheCable, this mini-grid is part of a broader strategy to deploy similar projects nationwide, targeting the establishment of 10 gigawatts of mini-grids to alleviate energy poverty.

International organizations have supported the program, with the World Bank committing $130 million for similar projects. GEAPP’s initiatives are designed to complement Nigeria’s existing energy infrastructure, working in conjunction with the national grid to ensure consistent power supply for businesses and households. Wakil emphasized that thousands of such projects are necessary across the country to eradicate energy poverty.

Fatima Haliru, Power Purchase Manager at Ikeja Electric, highlighted that mini-grid developers should be seen as partners rather than competitors, in accordance with Nigeria’s Electricity Act.