President Bola Tinubu has officially appointed Abba Aliyu as the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The appointment, which took effect on January 23, 2025, will run for an initial four-year term. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Aliyu, who has been serving as the acting MD of REA, brings over 20 years of experience in energy and organizational development across both private and public sectors. The statement noted that he has played important leadership roles in Nigeria’s on-grid and off-grid power sectors, as well as in water resources and transportation.
The statement further noted that President Tinubu expects Aliyu to use his vast experience to push forward REA’s goal of delivering reliable electricity to rural communities. His leadership is also expected to support the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on sustainable energy and power development.
Before assuming this position, Aliyu held various key roles in the power sector. He previously served as the Head of the Project Management Unit for the Nigeria Electrification Project. He was also the General Manager of Corporate Services, Projects, and Research, and the Deputy General Manager at Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading PLC.
During a recent presentation on REA’s 2024 budget performance and projections for the 2025 fiscal year, Aliyu noted that providing solar-powered energy to public institutions would be a major focus in the coming year. He described the 2025 budget proposal as the largest in the agency’s history.
“What we did today is to present the 2025 budget proposal which is the biggest REA’s budget so far in the history of the country. The first key aspect of our 2025 budget is the National Public Sector Solarization Initiative, an initiative of President Bola Tinubu with a proposal of N100bn provided,” he stated.
Aliyu also spoke about the agency’s achievements in 2024. According to him, REA successfully carried out several projects, including grid extensions and the deployment of mini-grids in agricultural areas.
“For the 2024 budget performance, REA implemented various aspects of work. Key among them was grid extension and the deployment of mini-grids for productive use, which specifically were chosen and deployed within agricultural areas,” he said.
He further noted that the agency also focused on deploying solar home systems in different parts of the country, adding that a significant number of these systems were installed in 2024.
