Delta State has sealed a major partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to boost electricity access through renewable energy, a move projected to attract $158 million in private investments.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Abuja, aims to provide power to more than 386,000 people across the state, where over 60% of communities still live without grid electricity. The initiative will see at least 120,000 new household and business connections, with the potential to raise Delta’s $2.9 billion GDP by expanding productivity and rural enterprise.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, speaking at the signing ceremony themed “Unlocking Distributed Energy Investments for Industrial Growth and Inclusive Access in Delta State”, said the plan aligns with his administration’s medium-term development agenda.
“Expanding access to electricity is not just about lights—it’s about jobs, education, healthcare, and sustainable growth,” the governor noted, stressing that solar and wind solutions would be central to reaching underserved communities. He assured investors that his government would clear red tape and provide an enabling business climate.
Delta is already developing an 8.5MW independent power plant in Asaba to supply critical government facilities, while its broader energy roadmap includes mini-grids, solar farms, hybrid systems, and service-based power models tailored for businesses.
REA’s managing director, Abba Aliyu, described Delta as one of the most attractive states for renewable investment, pointing to 471 identified mini-grid opportunities—83 of which are in Ndokwa East alone. On average, he said, a community could sustain 255 connections, with the projects expected to generate over 31,000 jobs and electrify 120,000 buildings.
Aliyu added that REA was ready to support Delta with its $1.16 billion national electrification fund and highlighted the potential to draw investors for a proposed $53 billion solar panel assembly plant with a capacity of 600MW.
The MoU is seen as a turning point in Delta’s energy push, with stakeholders confident the collaboration will help close the state’s power gap, uplift rural economies, and make renewable energy a key driver of industrial development.
