By Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have formalized a collaboration to conduct a comprehensive National Energy Survey using the Multi Tier Tracking (MTF) Framework.
This agreement, signed in Abuja by REA Managing Director Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu and NBS Statistician General Adeyemi Adeniran, aims to strengthen data for effective planning and policy within Nigeria’s power and energy sector.
Implemented under the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the initiative is crucial for generating high-quality analytical data.
REA MD Dr. Aliyu noted that the survey would provide granular insights into electricity access, affordability, and off-grid solutions nationwide.
The resulting data will support evidence-based decision-making, improve program targeting, boost investor confidence, and inform key national initiatives like the National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (NESIP).
Adeniran emphasized the role of robust statistical standards in national surveys, stating that NBS would provide technical oversight, sampling expertise and quality assurance to ensure adherence to global best practices.
“Reliable data is fundamental to effective policy and sustainable development,” he said.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizes an 18-month collaboration between the REA and NBS to jointly conduct the National Energy Survey.
Using the Multi Tier Tracking (MTF) Framework, the survey will assess energy access across households, communities, enterprises, and public institutions.
Key areas of focus include:
*Affordability: Examining household energy expenditure and willingness to pay for both grid and off-grid solutions.
*Technology Usage: Analyzing the adoption and use of off-grid technologies, such as mini-grids, solar home systems, and clean cooking solutions.
The two agencies have distinct roles in implementing the survey:
REA will serve as the key policy partner, providing sector expertise, driving stakeholder engagement, leading public awareness campaigns, and ensuring alignment with national rural electrification priorities.
NBS will deliver critical regulatory support, methodological validation, sampling frames, technical supervision, and capacity building for enumerators to ensure data quality and credibility.
The World Bank, through its Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), will provide funding and technical oversight for the survey, engaging a qualified firm for field data collection, analysis, and reporting.
The outputs of the MoU are designed to support national energy planning, guide private sector investments, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition toward universal access to electricity and clean cooking solutions.
This partnership highlights the Federal Government’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration and providing reliable energy data for the sustainable electrification of rural and underserved communities.
The REA, established under Section 127 of the Electricity Act 2023 and functioning under the Federal Ministry of Power, is mandated to electrify unserved and underserved communities to spur economic growth.
The agency implements various initiatives, including the Rural Electrification Fund, the Nigeria Electrification Project, and Solar Power Naija, while fostering private sector projects through data analysis and stakeholder engagement.
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