The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Associations Alliance (REEEA- Alliance) has adopted a 12-point Action Communiqué aimed at reducing investment risks, improving electricity access and accelerating the delivery of clean-energy projects across Nigeria.
The communiqué was approved at the conclusion of the fifth REEEA-Alliance International Investment and Partnership Conference, a two-day gathering held at the Marriott Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos under the theme, “Accelerating Collective Action and Strategic Partnerships for Equitable Clean Energy Access.”
The conference brought together the federal and sub-national government representatives, development-finance institutions, international development partners, commercial banks, energy developers, professional associations and other sector stakeholders.
Its central message was that Nigeria’s energy transition must move beyond policy ambition to the execution of the bankable projects capable of attracting capital and delivering measurable
benefits.
From policy to implementation
The alliance said Nigeria’s electricity challenge is no longer limited to the need for additional generation.
It argued that investment will also depend on policy certainty, clear market structures, technical standards, suitable financing arrangements and a skilled
workforce capable of designing, building and maintaining clean-energy infrastructure.
Conference discussions noted that grid supply remains between 3,500 megawatts and 4,500 megawatts for a population of more than 220 million, leaving commercial centres such as Lagos heavily dependent on expensive diesel- and petrol-powered self- generation.
Against that backdrop, participants positioned decentralised clean-energy markets— including mini-grids and other distributed systems—as both an energy-access necessity and an economic opportunity.
Dr. Imamuddeen Talba, the pioneer chairman of the conference’s steering committee, reportedly called for a shift from policy formulation to practical and finance-ready execution.
Dr. Aminu Isa, representing Energy Commission of Nigeria Director-General Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, also provided insights into the commission’s approach to policy implementation.
The conference coincided with a leadership transition within the alliance. Engr. Ayodeji Dada, who was formally inaugurated as president of the REEEA- Alliance Governing Council on the first day, hosted proceedings on the second day.
In his address, Dada pointed to
opportunities created by the Electricity Act 2023, particularly the increasing autonomy of sub-national electricity markets.
He said state-level market development, combined with predictable federal fiscal incentives, would be crucial to unlocking investment in decentralised clean-energy solutions.
Financing and project bankability
A major component of the communiqué focuses on the cost and structure of finance.
Participants called for clean-energy project debt to be offered at single-digit local-currency interest rates, a measure intended to reduce foreign-exchange risk and improve the viability of projects developed by local operators.
Olasunkanmi Owoeye, group head at Sterling Bank, highlighted the potential of combining commercial deposits with credit lines from development-finance institutions.
According to the release, Sterling Bank’s HEART strategy has unlocked more than ₦50 billion in climate loans, with a target of ₦200 billion by the end of 2026.
The communiqué also called for stronger coordination among the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council and the Nigeria Customs Service.
The objective is to simplify access to Import Duty Exemption Certificates and valueadded-tax exemptions for qualifying clean-energy investments.
It further referenced the World Bank- supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up programme, known as DARES, and its $188 million Green Finance and Investment Facility.
Conference materials said the programme is designed to support the
electrification of 226,000 households through 40 interconnected mini-grids with a combined capacity of 188.4MW.
Data, standards and investment matchmaking
The conference presented the REEEA-Alliance Investment Lounge as a platform for connecting clean-energy developers directly with commercial financiers, development- finance institutions, investment facilitators and technical advisers.
Unlike a conventional networking area, the lounge operated alongside panel discussions and was intended to turn policy conversations into potential financing relationships.
The event also showcased PROSPECT, a digital telemetry platform designed to reduce information gaps between clean-energy projects and financiers.
Supported by the European Union, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and GET. invest, the platform tracks more than €180 million in clean-energy assets across 21 countries and uses application programming interfaces to connect smart-meter data with financiers.
The alliance said reliable information on energy production, revenues, project performance and asset utilisation can improve due diligence and give lenders greater confidence in financing decisions.
It therefore resolved to promote the integration of PROSPECT telemetry into Nigeria’s clean-energy investment ecosystem.
On equipment quality, participants called for mandatory pre-shipment verification under the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme, or SONCAP, to prevent the entry of substandard components.
They also proposed an Extended Producer Responsibility framework for lithium-ion batteries and related electronic waste as the use of solar systems, batteries and other decentralised technologies expands.
Women, skills and energy efficiency
The communiqué establishes a 30% inclusion target for women in technical and leadership positions.
It also proposes scaling paid engineering placements for as many as 1,000 young women annually through mentorship, internship and leadership-development programmes.
The alliance described the measure as both an inclusion initiative and a workforce strategy.
It said the clean-energy sector cannot expand without people able to design, finance, install, operate, maintain and regulate new infrastructure.
Energy efficiency was another central priority. Participants endorsed efficiency as the sector’s “first fuel”—the principle that the least expensive unit of energy is often the one that does not need to be generated or consumed.
The communiqué called for stronger
enforcement of Minimum Energy Performance Standards and proposed an Energy Efficiency Trust Fund that could subsidise up to 50% of capital expenditure for industrialretrofits.
Alliance expands its institutional role
The REEEA-Alliance presented a three-year stewardship report showing that it had grown from five to seven constituent associations and activated 11 standing working committees.
The alliance said the expansion would strengthen coordination among renewable-energy and energy-efficiency stakeholders in policy advocacy, industry development and engagement with govt and development partners.
The conference also recognised the Rural Electrification Agency, Sterling Bank, GIZ and Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for contributions to industry development and transformative impact.
Ondo State was cited for establishing independent electricitymarket structures through the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, open-access regulations and feeder ceding.
The release said the communiqué’s importance would ultimately be measured by implementation.
That means converting the resolutions into timelines, assigning institutional responsibilities, building investment pipelines and tracking outcomes.
The alliance said Nigeria does not need another set of policy declarations without execution; it needs credible projects, financing structures that reflect local realities, reliable data, enforceable quality standards, a skilled and inclusive workforce, and coordinated action among governments, businesses, financiers and development partners.
“The clean-energy market does not simply need more capital,” the alliance said. “It needs the conditions that allow capital to move confidently into projects, communities and businesses at scale.”
