FG, ISA Launch $500m Fund to Fast-Track Solar Energy Growth in Nigeria
Nigeria has taken a bold step in its clean energy transition with the launch of a $500 million Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Nigeria Fund, unveiled in partnership with the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The initiative was formalised during the Seventh Regional Committee Meeting for Africa of the ISA, held from September 2 to 4, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, signed the agreement alongside ISA’s Director-General, Ashish Khanna.
According to a statement by Adelabu’s media aide, Bolaji Tunji, the fund comes with a robust three-year action plan aimed at accelerating solar adoption across Nigeria. Backed by regulatory support from the Ministry of Power, the plan is designed to catalyse private investment in renewable energy projects and expand energy access nationwide.
Key focus areas include:
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Scaling up solar-powered agriculture to improve food security;
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Promoting rooftop solar systems for households and businesses;
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Deploying mini-grids to power rural and underserved communities; and
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Establishing a Solar Technology and Application Resource Centre for training, research, and innovation.
Adelabu described the partnership as a milestone in Nigeria’s energy transition, stressing that decentralised renewable energy was about more than electricity.
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“This partnership is about more than light; it’s about powering development,” the minister said. “Solar energy solutions can transform education, healthcare, small businesses, agriculture, and even e-mobility. Every mini-grid and solar system deployed is a lifeline—helping a child study, a clinic function, an entrepreneur grow, and a farmer irrigate his fields.”
The ISA collaboration also highlights a wave of regional renewable energy cooperation, as Ghana and The Gambia signed similar agreements at the same meeting.
For Nigeria, the $500m DRE Fund will be central to closing electricity access gaps, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, creating green jobs, and placing solar energy at the core of the country’s electrification strategy.
