The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in partnership with Ernst & Young (EY), has concluded arrangements to organize a workshop to dissect ways and means for improved energy access through the collaboration with states and Distribution companies (Discos).
The partnership is sequel to the signing of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (2023) by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to REA, the partnership is on the back of fulfilling our mandate and ensuring the smooth delivery of some of our projects, stating the need to create a harmonious working relationship between the REA, states and the distribution companies.
The objectives of the roundtable, it is to create a pathway that will provide access to data on unelectrified communities, and allow for proper coordination/flow of information within the Discos, States and Federal and other private partners.
For REA, part of the objectives of the event is to explore collaboration opportunities with relevant stakeholders; minimize the information gap between the REA, states and the Discos, and capacity building and the needs assessment framework (states, institutional, individual, and private sector perspectives), in addition to provide a platform for accountability framework for the states and Discos.
In a related development, a statement by EY says: “As a global professional services firm, EY is committed to building a better working world with increased trust and confidence in business, sustainable growth, and greater collaboration. We want to build a better working world through our own actions and by engaging with various stakeholders who count on us to deliver quality and excellent services. At EY we believe when business works better the world works better.
Themed ‘Implementing the Electricity Act 2023: Improved energy access through collaboration with states and Discos—The Nigeria outlook’, the roundtable holds on 27-28 February 2024 at the Nigeria Airforce Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja.
The event, which promises to be engaging and interactive, seeks discussions around how to unlock insights and initiatives that will propel Nigeria towards a future of inclusive energy access and sustainable development.
Through the partnership, EY will provide specialized technical assistance to facilitate and coordinate the roundtable, while REA, as the implementing agency of the federal government under the Federal Ministry of Power, is providing the contexts with focal points on understanding the Rural Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (RESIP); challenges and barriers to implementing the RESIP and the Electricity Act 2023, including regulatory constraints, financial limitations, technical hurdles and socio-economic factors.
The program will further examine the provisions and implications of the Electricity Act 2023 in the context of rural electrification, highlighting its role in facilitating sustainable energy access, promoting renewable energy deployment, and enhancing regulatory frameworks.
