The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration aimed at accelerating the growth of Nigeria's renewable energy sector and advancing the country's clean energy transition agenda. This was announced on Tuesday during a high-level stakeholder engagement meeting held at NERC headquarters in Abuja.
Key Focus Areas for Collaboration
The association noted that achieving Nigeria's energy transition goals would require improved market standards, enhanced investor confidence, and stronger cooperation among key stakeholders in the power sector. The President of REAN, Ayo Ademilua, stressed the need for stronger policy coordination, institutional collaboration, and effective enforcement mechanisms to accelerate renewable energy deployment across the country.
Industry Contributions and Challenges
Ademilua highlighted REAN's contributions to the sector through its diverse membership base, which includes mini-grid developers, solar home system providers, commercial and industrial solar operators, consultants, manufacturers, and stakeholders across the solar, hydro, biomass, and wind energy value chains. The association commended recent reforms in the electricity sector, particularly the expansion of mini-grid capacity thresholds and policy alignments with the Electricity Act 2023, describing them as important milestones for renewable energy development.
However, Ademilua identified several challenges confronting the industry, including limited capacity among some State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), coordination gaps between renewable energy developers and Distribution Companies (DisCos), the proliferation of substandard products, inadequate certification of operators, and limited access to timely regulatory information. According to him, addressing these challenges will require stronger collaboration between regulators, industry players, and government institutions.
Commitments and Next Steps
In response, REAN reiterated its commitment to supporting the renewable energy ecosystem through the development of net billing and renewable energy integration frameworks, capacity-building initiatives, and stronger coordination with state regulators and Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs). In a statement by REAN's Head of Communications, Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the commission also emphasized the need for increased public awareness and technical training for solar technicians to improve quality assurance and boost consumer confidence in renewable energy solutions.
NERC further called for enhanced collaboration among key government agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the Nigeria Customs Service, to curb the influx of substandard renewable energy products into the Nigerian market. Both organisations agreed on the need to establish a national stakeholder engagement platform that would bring together regulators, Distribution Companies, and renewable energy developers to address operational bottlenecks and improve policy implementation.
Outlook for Sustainable Energy
They expressed optimism that sustained engagement and stronger institutional cooperation would attract greater investment, accelerate renewable energy deployment, and promote sustainable energy solutions across the country. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing policies and initiatives that would support a more reliable, inclusive, and sustainable energy future for Nigeria.
