UN Praises Nigeria’s Solar Initiatives for Powering Five Million People

The United Nations has praised Nigeria’s rural electrification programme for expanding access to electricity through solar energy, targeted subsidies and private-sector investment, describing the initiative as an example of how developing countries can improve energy access in underserved communities.

The recognition was contained in the World Social Report 2026, released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

According to the report, Nigeria’s electrification programme supported the establishment of 125 mini-grids and the sale of more than one million solar home systems, providing electricity access to over five million Nigerians.

The initiatives also supported the creation of more than 5,000 green jobs, highlighting the potential of renewable energy investments to improve livelihoods while expanding electricity access.

The UN identified the use of targeted subsidies for rural mini-grids as a notable policy approach, explaining that financial support can help reduce electricity costs for low-income households while encouraging private companies to invest in communities that might otherwise be commercially unattractive.

The report noted that combining public support with private-sector participation could help developing countries address the financial challenges associated with extending electricity infrastructure to remote and underserved areas.

Beyond household electrification, the UN highlighted Nigeria and Ghana for initiatives integrating solar panels into agricultural land. The approach allows farmers to generate electricity while continuing food production on the same land.

According to the report, combining solar energy with agriculture could improve irrigation and water management, strengthen food security and create additional economic opportunities for rural communities.

The report also assessed countries’ progress in economic transformation and social inclusion between 2000 and 2024. Nigeria recorded a transformation score of 44.30 and an inclusiveness score of 56.36, resulting in a combined index score of 100.67.

The assessment covered 168 countries and examined economic, digital, energy and social development.

The UN cautioned, however, that economic growth and technological advancement do not automatically ensure that vulnerable populations benefit from development.

It stressed the importance of policies that promote social inclusion alongside economic transformation, ensuring that access to electricity and other essential services reaches disadvantaged communities.

Nigeria’s experience, as highlighted in the report, demonstrates how renewable energy programmes can contribute to rural development, employment and wider access to essential services when supported by targeted public policies and private investment.