Regional bloc, The Economic Community of West African States Commission has declared its intention to spend $380 million powering public health facilities and schools in eighteen countries—Nigeria, Benin, Chad, and other countries in the Sahel and West Africa— as well as other countries in West Africa.

The project intends to alleviate the region’s chronic energy access shortage, which impacts over 208 million people, mostly in rural areas.

El Hadji Sylla, Senior Adviser on the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project at the ECOWAS Commission, presented the project’s objectives at a stakeholder meeting in Abuja on Thursday. The program is funded by the Dutch government, the Clean Technology Fund, and the World Bank.

According to Sylla, the project’s goal is to improve rural residents’ access to power by emphasising off-grid options for crucial public services.

“The cost of the project is $380m, and we want to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public institutions. Our target is to electrify schools and health centres to improve service delivery.

“We are piloting the project in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. The project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region and four countries in the Sahel region,” Sylla said.

“We are targeting schools and health centres to improve service delivery,” Sylla said, adding that the project is expected to be completed in five years across all participating countries, with the pilot phase in Nigeria and Benin to be executed within 18 months.

The program in Nigeria will start with electricity initiatives in a few Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa state schools and health centres.

Through grants and subsidies, Nigeria’s attempts to electrify its rural areas have greatly improved, according to Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu.

Bem Ayangeaor, speaking on behalf of Adelabu, expressed optimism that the sector will see a growth in private sector investment due to official assistance.

“I do not doubt that the rural electrification space in Nigeria, thanks to grants and subsidies, has grown significantly and will soon reach a stage where public support leverages private sector financing at higher efficiencies than it is presently done.

“A stage where the private sector would be more excited in investing in the electrification space because of the benefits to be gained,” Adelabu said.

Electricity is essential for modern education, especially for science and technology-focused schools, according to Muyibat Olodo, Director of Technology and Science Education at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“Access to power is not a luxury in Nigeria and especially in our public institutions. There is a need for uninterrupted power supply in our schools especially those in the science and technology field.

“With proper implementation, our public institutions in the FCT, Niger, and Nasarawa states will become models of energy resilience, self-sufficiency, and sustainability,” she stated.