UN Commends Nigeria for Electrifying Five Million People

The United Nations has recognized Nigeria's rural electrification programme as a successful model for expanding electricity access, as reported in the World Social Report 2026 by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The report highlights Nigeria's Electrification Project, which has facilitated the establishment of 125 mini-grids and the sale of over one million solar home systems, providing electricity to more than five million Nigerians and creating over 5,000 green jobs.

The UN commended Nigeria's use of subsidies for rural mini-grids as an effective policy that combines affordable electricity with private-sector participation. It noted that targeted financial support can reduce electricity costs for poorer households while promoting investment in underserved areas.

Additionally, Nigeria and Ghana are recognized for integrating solar panels into agricultural land, which allows farmers to generate electricity while maintaining food production. The report also assessed Nigeria's economic transformation and inclusiveness scores, which were 44.30 and 56.36, respectively, leading to a combined index score of 100.67.