The Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project has received historic approval from the World Bank and a sizeable $750 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA).With over $1 billion in private funding and additional support from prestigious partners like the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, this initiative is well-positioned to bring light to over 17.5 million Nigerians through creative distributed renewable energy solutions.
The DARES project is a ray of hope in a nation where, as of 2021, over 85 million people lacked access to electricity. It is leading the way for broad and sustainable electrification.
The Nigerian government will be able to plan and fund off-grid electrification initiatives thanks to the DARES program, which also offers states technical support for institutional capacity and rooftop solar regulatory frameworks. The program expands on NEP's efforts to make electricity more accessible to female-headed homes and female-led companies, with a focus on gender and inclusion.
Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director of the World Bank for Nigeria, stated that the $750 million Nigeria DARES project, which will replace over 280,000 polluting generator sets and assist over 17.5 million underprivileged Nigerians, is the largest distributed energy initiative in history.
Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, expressed enthusiasm for becoming a part of this revolutionary movement. "By enabling the off-grid sector to reach its full potential and advancing clean energy solutions, the DARES program empowers underprivileged and unserved communities."
The program demonstrates the benefits of cooperation between the public and private sectors as well as development partners, and it is in line with Nigeria's goals to reduce the gap in its access to power and move toward a sustainable, efficient, and commercially successful electricity supply. Support from the International Development Association (IDA) demonstrates the dedication to improving the lives of the most impoverished areas.