FRI. 17 MARCH 2023-theGBJournal | The Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Project Management Unit of the Rural Electrification Agency held a hybrid Pre-Bid Conference on Thursday, 16th March 2023 for the Minimum Subsidy Tender (MST) programme of the Solar Hybrid Mini Grid component – financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).
A key component of the NEP, the MST is aimed at further catalyzing the Nigerian off-grid market while aiding the deployment of solar hybrid mini-grids at scale.
The Solar Hybrid Mini Grid component of the NEP supports the development of private sector mini-grids in unserved and underserved areas that have high economic growth potential.
A private sector-driven programme, the MST is targeted at awarding subsidies to mini-grid developers to catalyze the rollout of solar and/or hybrid mini-grid solutions across up to 150 sites split into 7 lots across 7 States in Nigeria.
With over 100 private sector players in attendance, the pre-bid conference served as a technical, knowledge-driven platform for engagement and interaction between the NEP-PMU and prospective bidders on the MST programme.
It equally provided an opportunity for further clarification on components of the bidding document issued; offering an opportunity for feedback on the application process and programme-specific information to support prospective bidders in the finalization of their bids.
While commending the private sector players for their interest and enthusiasm, the Managing Director/CEO of REA, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad explained that “the Minimum Subsidy Tender is a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts towards providing reliable and sustainable electricity to its citizens, particularly in rural unserved and underserved areas”. He explained that “the REA is committed to a transparent and competitive bidding process that will result in the selection of qualified and capable contractors who will deliver the project on time, within budget and to the required quality standards”
The Head of Project Management Unit (HPMU) of the NEP, Abba Aliyu in his address, stated that “the MST programme is one of the model that is being adopted specifically because it provides a transparent economically viable approach to providing access to electricity to rural off-grid communities”. He added that “the NEP is using this particular model to provide a pathway that will enable the off-grid sub sector to see the viability of using the MST in providing funding to developers for the provision of electricity access to these communities”.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the support of both the World Bank and African Development Bank, continues to optimize the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) to power off-grid communities nationwide with clean, safe and sustainable energy solutions.
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