By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
KOGI State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has issued Mini-Grid Permit to three developers and investors in the State Government’s bid to provide accessible, reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity in underserved and unserved communities across the state.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Engr Ibrahim S. Abdwaaris said following the enactment of the Kogi State Electricity Law, 2024, the State assumed constitutional and statutory authority over its electricity market.
According to him, the Mini-Grid Permit Issuance ceremony is not merely administrative; but symbolic and strategic as it signals Kogi State’s clear transition from electricity access as an aspiration to electricity access as a regulated, investable, and accountable market outcome.
Following the enactment of the Law, the State assumed constitutional and statutory authority over its electricity market.
“With that authority comes responsibility to design a market that is credible to investors, protective of consumers, and sustainable over the long term”, he said.
Engr Abdwaaris said that the Commission was established to discharge that responsibility with discipline, transparency, and professionalism.
“Mini-grids occupy a critical position in this market architecture. They are not stop-gap solutions. They are intentional instruments of last-mile electrification, rural economic Inclusion, and productive-use energy deployment.
“For communities that have remained structurally underserved, mini-grids represent the fastest pathway to reliable power, local enterprise growth, and improved quality of life”, he said.
The state Commissioner for Energy and Rural Development, Engr Mohammed Abdulmutalib represented by Alhaji Isah Hussaini Sule, congratulated the investors saying the the state government has through this, opened up the space for private sector investment in the sector.
He congratulated the the Commission’s permit issuance as another milestone by Gov. Usman Ahmed Ododo’s administration in improving socio-economic development in the state.
The Mini-Grid investors who obtained their license permits include, Privida Power Limited, Cross Boundary Energy Access and Havenhill Synergy Limited.
Engr Dr Abdulsalam Yusuf, Commissioner in charge of Compliance and Enforcement congratulated the Mid-Grid Developers and described the Mid-Grid as a very fragile (small network) and charged them to be cost-effective and make electricity affordable to all.
He also urged them to guard against estimated billing and ensure everybody is metered to ensure billing system technology based network and urged them to be diligent.
The Commission’s Commissioner for Legal and License of the Commission (LCC), Prof. Abdulkarim Ibrahim, emphasized that mini-grid development is critical to advancing economic growth and improving access to electricity.
Engr Michael Enema Meliga, Vice Chairman, KERC, who spoke on technical expectations, said the government was committing resources to underserved areas and congratulated the investors for qualifying for the permit. (Ends)
