The Nigerian Communications Commission and the Rural Electrification Agency have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at deploying renewable energy solutions to power telecom infrastructure across the country, particularly in unserved and underserved communities. 

The agreement, signed at the NCC Annex Office in Mbora, Abuja, brings together two key public sector institutions to promote integrated solutions that expand telecommunications infrastructure while supporting reliable and sustainable energy access nationwide.

The partnership builds on the earlier inauguration of the NCC REA Collaboration Committee, which was set up to co-develop and implement strategies that leverage solar power and other renewable energy sources to run telecom sites, including base stations, network towers and data hubs.

According to figures from the State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report, telecom operators in Nigeria currently consume more than forty million litres of diesel every month, costing the sector over 350 million dollars annually, a burden the new collaboration is designed to significantly reduce.

Speaking on the initiative, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, described the partnership as a timely and strategic alignment of national priorities, aimed at bridging the connectivity and power gaps that continue to limit development in Nigeria’s rural and underserved areas.

He explained that while telecom infrastructure depends on reliable power to function optimally, the growing demand for digital services also creates room for renewable energy systems to expand and thrive, noting that the initiative supports the wider goal of ensuring no community is left behind in the country’s digital and energy transformation.

The Managing Director of the REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, also expressed confidence in the transformative potential of the collaboration, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to working closely with the NCC to unlock sustainable development opportunities for millions of Nigerians living beyond the reach of traditional infrastructure.

The agencies noted that the partnership would additionally focus on sharing geospatial data for improved planning, aligning funding mechanisms, and monitoring the socio-economic impact of the initiative through measurable indicators, in line with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan and broader sustainable development goals.