As part of efforts to ensure that rural and underserved communities have unhindered access to energy -efficient and electric productive equipment, the Rural and Electrification Agency (REA) is implementing the productive use of equipment and appliances (PUE).

The PUE will encourage the use of low-cost productive appliances in unserved and underserved communities to improve rural productivity, economic growth and also rural development.

The REA, through its Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), aims to provide 24,500 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with energy-efficient productive use appliances, while ensuring that 1,050,000 people have improved access to energy services.

Speaking during the grant agreement signing of the productive use equipment and appliances, the Managing Director of the REA, Mr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad disclosed that with support from the African Development Bank Group, the PUE will drive the sustainability of off-grid energy infrastructure across communities in the country.

He said, “We are here for the Grant Agreement Signing for the Productive Use Appliances Component of the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) under the African Development Bank funding stream.

“At REA, our mandate is to provide access to electricity to unserved and underserved households and MSMEs in rural communities of Nigeria. The Agency from inception, has continued to collaborate and support private-sector participation in our dedication and commitment to achieve this mandate.