The Niger State Government has secured a $150 million financing facility from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to develop a 100-megawatt solar power plant as part of efforts to improve electricity supply and strengthen energy infrastructure across the state.

Chairman of the New Niger Development Project (NNDP), Mustapha Abubakar, disclosed this on Tuesday during the second quarterly media briefing organised by the Niger State Ministry of Information and Orientation in Minna.

According to Abubakar, the state government will provide an additional $10 million as counterpart funding, bringing the total value of the solar power project to $160 million.

He explained that the approval of the loan was facilitated by the successful implementation of the Minna-Bida Road project, which he described as one of the best-managed projects in the Islamic Development Bank’s portfolio.

Abubakar said the state government’s effective management of the road project strengthened the confidence of the lender and contributed significantly to the approval of the new financing for the solar initiative.

He added that the solar plant will be constructed in Maikunkele and will include social intervention programmes aimed at improving the welfare of residents in neighbouring communities.

The project builds on plans unveiled earlier this year under the Niger State Solar Electrification Project (NGA1063), a renewable energy programme initially valued at about $163 million.

The government had disclosed that the project would span approximately 200 hectares and generate 100 megawatts of electricity to provide more reliable power for households, businesses and industries, while supporting industrial development, agricultural productivity and overall economic growth.

The solar project forms part of the state’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on the national grid and improve the reliability of electricity supply.

The initiative also aligns with Mission 300, a joint electrification programme of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank aimed at expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.

The programme has continued to record progress since its launch, with Nigerian officials announcing earlier this year that Mission 300 is expected to extend electricity access to about 17.5 million households in the country while supporting job creation, private sector growth and economic development.

By mid-June, the World Bank and the AfDB reported that more than 50 million people across 40 African countries had already been connected to electricity under the initiative, marking significant progress toward its continental electrification target.