NOTICE OF UPCOMING CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION FUND GRANT AND INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP FROM RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY

 

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY

Rural Electrification Agency: Our sole mission is to provide access to reliable electric power supply for rural dwellers irrespective of where they live and what they do, in a way that would allow for reasonable return on investment through appropriate tariff that is economically responsive and supportive of the average rural customer.

NOTICE OF UPCOMING CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION FUND GRANT AND INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP

1.0 BACKGROUND

a. The Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2005, Section 88 (11), stimulates that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) shall set up and administer the Rural Electrification Fund (REF). Section 91 (1)(2)(3) of the EPSRA also mandates the REA, in consultation with the Minister to;

i. Establish objective and transparent criteria for the Geographical Allocation of Resources from the REF as well as transparent procedure for making disbursements, including;

ii. Establishment of Criteria for Allocation of Resources from REF and

iii. The Selection Criteria and the Quantum of Disbursement

b. In compliance with the aforementioned sections of the EPSRA, REA developed the REF Operational Guidelines 2017. In preparing the Guidelines, REA used the following documents as a basis:

Electric Power Sector Reform Act (2005);

Rural Electrification policy Paper (2009);

Rural Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (2016);

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) regulations for Mini-Grids 2016

Other related legislation, policies and regulations as developed by the Federal Government of Nigerian; and

Wider international experience with REAs/REFs (especially Tanzania, Uganda and Bangladesh), and other rural electrification best practices across the globe.

c. The REF Operational Guidelines 2017 was approved in October 2017.

d. In view of the above, the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) is set to provide grants to support public / private partnerships in deploying Hybrid Mini-grids, and Solar Home Systems (SHS) across Nigerian’s target of 75% and 90% electricity access in 2020 and 2030 respectively.

To this end the REA would be calling for submission of Expression of Interest in December, 2017. Thus, interested and eligible beneficiaries are invited to attend the Stakeholders’ workshop as scheduled in 4.0

2.0 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

a. Infrastructure Project:

Grid extension

Interconnected mini-grid

Isolated mini-grid

Isolated Micro/Nano Grids

b. Non-Infrastructure Project:

Stand-alone systems, i.e., Solar home systems and Solar lanterns

3.0 GRANT AMOUNT

Grant amount will be dependent on project cost, size, and need.

4.0 INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP

The Stakeholders’ workshop will hold on the 29th of November in Abuja. For more details, eligible and interested parties are invited to sign-up for the stakeholders’ workshop by emailing ref.info@rea.gov.ngbefore midnight on 24th November 2017, with the subject’’ Workshop’’.

5.0 EXPECTED STAKEHOLDERS

Members of National Assembly State Governors

Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)

State Commissioners in charge of rural electrification

State Commissioners responsible for local governments

Representative of MDAs responsible for rural electrification in various states

Distribution Companies

Mini-grid developers and Solar Home System Providers

Civil Society Organizations

6.0 ENQUIRIES

All enquiries and requests for clarification regarding this invitation may be directed to:

Executive Director (Rural Electrification Fund)

The Rural Electrification Agency,

Corporate Headquarters,

22, Freetown Street

Wuse 2, Abuja

Ref.info@rea.gov.ng

Signed:

MANAGEMENT