by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
PLATEAU STATE’s Rural Electrification and Clean Energy agenda was recorded in Namu, Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area of the State, on Wednesday, when the State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, commissioned a 50–100 kilowatt Solar Mini-Grid Power Project in the area.
Government Area of Plateau State.
The project, implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), is part of a global rural energy access initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
During commissioning the facility, Governor Mutfwang described it as “the beginning of a new journey towards transforming rural economies and empowering local communities.” He emphasized that access to clean and reliable energy remains central to his administration’s vision of “stimulating agro-allied industries, small-scale enterprises, and rural livelihoods.”
“Today, Qua’an-Pan that once sat in darkness has seen the light,” the governor declared. “Great things begin small; and this project is a symbol of our determination to walk-the-talk in providing sustainable infrastructure that unlocks rural wealth.”
Governor Mutfwang said that the solar mini-grid represents the first of three key interventions his administration is pursuing for the people of Qua’an-Pan – rural electrification, improved road connectivity, and access to clean water. He further disclosed that construction work on the Jibam–Namu Road is already underway, with several kilometers nearing completion.
The governor lauded the Federal Government, REA, UNDP, and GEF for their collaboration, and urged the people of Namu, particularly the youth, to safeguard the facility and use the opportunity to engage in productive ventures that would drive local development.
“Energy is the backbone of every economy,” he noted. “What we are witnessing today is not merely the commissioning of a facility, but the birth of a new dream for our people, a dream of light, hope, and shared prosperity.”
Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Dr. Abba Aliyu, explained that the Namu project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to expand rural energy access through renewable power solutions.
He announced that, “The Federal Government has approved a $750 million renewable energy programme, the largest publicly-funded clean energy initiative in the world designed to deliver electricity to over 17.5 million Nigerians through more than 1,350 mini-grids nationwide. Plateau State will benefit from 42 mini-grid projects, 10 of which are sited in Qua’an-Pan LGA.
“Your Excellency, you have demonstrated visionary leadership and policy foresight,” Dr. Aliyu remarked. “Plateau is fast emerging as a clean energy hub because of the enabling environment your administration has created through landmark reforms and the establishment of the Plateau State Energy Corporation.”
In her goodwill message, the UNDP Resident Representative, Dr. Elsie Attafuah, commended the Plateau State Government for its “inclusive development approach and prioritization of sustainable energy.” She reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting clean energy initiatives as drivers of economic transformation, climate resilience, and peace-building in rural communities.
Also speaking, Chairman of Qua’an-Pan LGA, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, expressed deep appreciation to Governor Mutfwang, the Federal Government, and development partners for “bringing light to Namu.” He described the project as “a leap from poverty to productivity,” and pledged the community’s readiness to maintain the facility.
Project developers and energy experts, including Engineer Theophilus Weke of Cloud Energy Photo-Electric, and Dr. Bala Yoden, Project Manager of the Africa Mini-Grid Programme, highlighted Namu’s vast agro-economic potential and pledged continued collaboration to expand the grid’s capacity, from 100 kilowatts to 2 megawatts, in the near future.
The ceremony climaxed with the symbolic switching-on of power and inspection of agro-processing units now connected to the solar mini-grid, ushering-in a new dawn of productivity, innovation, and economic renewal for the Namu community.