NASENI-REA Collaborative Highlights at COP-28

1. Rural Electrification Agency (REA): An agency of Federal Government of Nigeria under the Ministry of Power is focused on delivering electricity to rural, unserved, and underserved communities in Nigeria.

2. REA’s role is to facilitate access to electricity and promote clean, renewable energy.

3. The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), on the other hand is tasked with the development of science and engineering innovation through strategic investments and partnerships.

4. NASENI focuses on contributing to advancements in science, technology, and engineering.

5. REA and NASENI are actively engaged in the clean and renewable energy sector in Nigeria. The two agencies recently prioritized collaboration between them to underscore a shared commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

6. Both agencies seized the opportunity presented by their participation in COP-28 to advance the President’s Renewed Hope agenda.

7. They leveraged the event to demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to clean and renewable energy development, utilizing the high-level platform to emphasize the country’s alignment with climate action pledges under the Paris Agreement.

8. During the COP-28 proceedings, NASENI hosted a side event on December 3, 2023, focusing on home-grown technology for rural electrification.

9. REA on the other hand hosted a side event on December 5, 2023, covering critical areas of Renewable Energy for Inclusive

Development and Financing Nigeria’s Energy Access Gap in Last- Mile Communities.

10. The Two agencies thereafter established a strategic collaboration with the key objective of facilitating Joint partnership for research and development projects to enhance the quality, reliability, and affordability of rural electrification solutions, including innovative technologies.

11. Leveraging on their partnership, NASENI and REA signed a landmark cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Lemi Technology Development Company Limited of China. The landmark MoU was developed with the sole objective of development and establishment of a US$150 million Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing and Processing Factory in Nigeria.

12. This partnership enables agencies such as REA and NASENI to leverage the technological expertise of LEMI to improve the safety and longevity of battery technologies to deliver better, sustainable energy solutions to unserved and underserved Nigerians while paving the way for new jobs within the sector as well as local content in the nation’s renewable energy space

13. The collaboration between REA and NASENI has proven instrumental in unlocking new and transformative opportunities.

14. This strategic move signifies a paradigm shift in the energy sector, with the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing landscape and contribute significantly to bridging the electricity access gap.