Light up Power State

  The Honourable Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Niger State, Honourable Suleiman Umar, has commended the Federal Government for unveiling major renewable energy initiatives aimed at powering businesses, institutions, and Nigeria’s role in global energy governance. The announcements were made on Thursday in Abuja during the National Showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 and the launch of the Tinubu Light Initiative, TLI, by the National Board for Technology Incubation, NBTI.  The Federal Government launched TLI to provide affordable clean energy to one million MSMEs nationwide. According to NBTI Director-General, Dr Kazeem Raji, the programme will create over 50,000 direct jobs, cut production costs, and reduce reliance on diesel generators. It will also promote local assembly of renewable equipment, lower carbon emissions, and expand opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs through digital financing. Dr Raji said the initiative aligns with Pres...

  The Honourable Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Niger State, Hon. Suleiman Umar, has said Nigeria must now focus on local manufacturing, implementation and quality assurance to achieve a sustainable renewable energy future. Hon. Umar stated this while reacting to outcomes from Solar & Storage Live Nigeria 2026 and the Lagos Solar Forum held in Lagos. The President of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, REAN, Ayo Ademilua, said renewable energy has become indispensable to the country’s future energy mix. He described the sector as being at a defining moment. Ademilua called for stronger collaboration among government, regulators, financial institutions, development partners and the private sector. He said the next phase must prioritise local manufacturing, affordable financing, technical capacity, innovation and quality assurance. REAN’s Chief Executive Officer, Motunrayo Akinfala, said the focus must now shift from policy to action. She noted that th...

As Nigeria pushes to overhaul its power sector, Honourable Suleiman Umar has called on electricity consumers across the country not to lose hope, assuring that the Federal Government is working to deliver sustainable and steady power supply for development and growth nationwide. Speaking in support of the Federal Government’s new roadmap for the power sector, Hon. Umar said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s New Niger Agenda for Niger State, is already setting the foundation for long-term stability. “The government is doing its best for all citizens of Nigeria,” Hon. Umar stated. “I want to assure Nigerlites that steady electricity supply will be sustainable. This is key to the development and growth we all desire across Niger State and beyond.” His assurance comes as the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced that Nigeria is targeting 40% of its total power requirement to come from renewable energy by the year 20...

The Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy of Niger State, Hon. Suleiman Umar, says Nigeria’s energy policy must go beyond providing electricity to creating jobs and building local industries. Reacting to REA MD, Mallam Abba Aliyu’s remarks at the 2026 Oriental News Conference in Lagos, Hon. Suleiman Umar noted that despite over $2 billion invested in renewables, Nigeria has created only about 76,000 jobs far below the 16.2 million jobs supported globally by solar. He said clean energy deployment must double as industrial policy. Programmes like public sector solarisation, mini-grids, and agricultural energy hubs should serve as anchor markets for Nigerian manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. “Nigeria cannot transition on imported solutions. Every renewable project must create jobs for Nigerian engineers, technicians, and businesses, and strengthen our supply chains,” he stated. Hon. Suleiman Umar added that improving project bankability and regulatory coordination is key...

The Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy in Niger State, Hon. Suleiman Umar, has recommended the new innovations being driven by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) under its Managing Director, Mr. Abba Aliyu, describing them as timely policies that will accelerate sustainable development and renewable energy growth in Nigeria. Hon. Suleiman Umar said the Federal Government’s plan to float Renewable Energy Service Companies, RESCOs to compete directly with electricity Distribution Companies over the next 10 to 15 years is a bold step toward solving Nigeria’s persistent blackouts and expanding access to electricity. According to him, the shift by REA from single isolated mini-grids to utility-scale interconnected mini-grids powered by solar and battery storage will give communities reliable, round-the-clock clean energy and reduce dependence on the national grid. He explained that under the new model, developers will be encouraged to build between 20 and 50 interconnected mini...

Nigeria is now sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest-growing market for small-scale solar, but the growth is happening almost entirely outside the national grid. According to the reports that is reviewed by the media team of Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Honourable Suleiman Umar, there is rapid expansion of solar power and mini-grids across Nigeria, while utility-scale projects connected to the national grid remain limited. The assessment notes that households and businesses are driving adoption, even as the country struggles to translate the boom into stronger grid supply. According to the  “Sub-Saharan Africa Renewable Energy Market Outlook” , the shift is driven by unreliable grid electricity and rising diesel and petrol costs, pushing businesses and homes to rooftop solar and battery systems. Small-scale solar is driving growth The reports estimate Nigeria added 3.1GW of small-scale solar in 2024 and 2025, bringing total installed capacity to about 6GW. Projections sh...

The Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Niger State, Hon. Suleiman Umar, has hailed the launch of a new programme by TranESS C&I and the Al-Ansar Foundation to train 3,000 Nigerian youths in energy storage and clean energy technology over the next three years. The initiative was unveiled at TranESS C&I’s Education Industry Summit in Abuja with the theme “Empowering Education, Illuminating the Future”. It will run across five regional training hubs and will also include specialized courses, with top students selected for advanced training abroad. Reacting to the development, Hon. Suleiman Umar said he is delighted that young Nigerians will be given such opportunity to acquire skills in the renewable energy sector. “I am happy to see that 3,000 of our youths will be trained in energy storage and clean energy. This is the kind of investment in human capital that Nigeria needs right now,” Hon. Suleiman Umar said. He expressed optimism that Niger State will also benefit fro...