Morganable News / Communities
A new 581kWp solar mini-grid is giving residents and businesses in Oke-Oyi, Kwara State, improved access to electricity while creating fresh opportunities for local economic activities.
Lagos —
The Federal Government has commissioned a 581-kilowatt-peak interconnected solar mini-grid in Oke-Oyi Community, Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, in a move expected to improve electricity access and support economic activities.
The project was inaugurated on September 24 through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) under the Rural Electrification Fund-Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme.
Developed by Nayo Tropical Technologies Limited, the project received support from the European Union and German Cooperation through GIZ. It is designed to serve an estimated 13,000 residents and provide electricity to homes and productive businesses within the community.
The project includes 1,336 solar panels, 84 batteries, transformers and about 10 kilometres of distribution cables. It also includes a battery energy storage system designed to strengthen supply and allow electricity to remain available beyond periods of direct sunlight.
For residents, the project is significant because unreliable electricity has affected household activities and small businesses. Improved power can help entrepreneurs operate equipment more consistently and reduce dependence on generators.
Already, the impact is becoming visible in the community.
Project data showed that 12 welding businesses, two pure-water companies, four grain mills and four aluminium businesses had emerged following improved electricity access. An ice-block production business and a cold-room and ice-fish depot have also benefited from the intervention.
Three electricity vendors are currently operating in Oke-Oyi, while three additional vendors are expected to be registered. One of the proposed vendors is a female entrepreneur.
The growth of these businesses shows how access to electricity can influence community development beyond household lighting.
For example, welders need steady power to operate machines, while grain millers require electricity to run their processing equipment. Similarly, cold-room operators depend on reliable power to preserve food products and reduce losses.
Water production businesses also require electricity for pumping, processing and packaging. Therefore, improved electricity supply can help these businesses increase their operating hours, serve more customers and create employment opportunities.
The intervention has also provided temporary jobs during construction. Residents were engaged in activities including painting, welding, bricklaying, iron bending, tiling, plumbing, borehole digging and excavation.
Although these jobs were linked to construction, businesses supported by the mini-grid are expected to generate longer-term opportunities.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the project demonstrated the importance of connecting electricity investments to productivity and improved livelihoods.
He stressed that electrification should not only provide power to households but should also help communities build businesses and create jobs.
The Rural Electrification Agency also said the success of an electricity project should be measured by the opportunities it creates for residents.
When electricity becomes more reliable, entrepreneurs can spend less on alternative power sources and use more of their income to improve their businesses.
The Oke-Oyi project also demonstrates the growing role of renewable energy in expanding electricity access.
Solar mini-grids can provide an alternative where conventional electricity infrastructure is difficult or expensive to extend. They can also reduce dependence on fuel-powered generators.
However, the long-term success of the project will depend on proper maintenance.
Solar panels, batteries, transformers and distribution equipment require regular monitoring and servicing. Community members will also need to protect the infrastructure from damage, vandalism and other forms of misuse.
Stakeholders involved in the project have therefore emphasised the importance of cooperation between government, private developers, development partners and the community.
The project was developed under the Rural Electrification Fund scheme with support from development partners, showing how public and private resources can be combined to address infrastructure gaps.
For Oke-Oyi, the immediate priority is to ensure that the benefits continue beyond the commissioning ceremony.
As more residents and businesses connect to the mini-grid, demand for electricity is likely to grow. This could encourage more entrepreneurs to establish businesses and existing operators to expand their activities.
The community may also see new opportunities in areas such as food processing, refrigeration, digital services, tailoring, welding and other trades that depend on electricity.
Reliable power can equally support young people who want to learn technical skills or start small enterprises but have previously struggled with high energy costs.
The development is therefore more than an energy project. It is also an intervention that can influence employment, entrepreneurship and household income.
Kwara State authorities have welcomed the project as an opportunity to strengthen enterprise and local development.
For residents, however, the real test will be whether the electricity remains reliable and affordable over time.
A successful mini-grid must continue to provide dependable service, respond to faults quickly and maintain equipment properly.
If these conditions are sustained, Oke-Oyi could provide a useful example of how renewable energy can transform underserved communities.
The project also highlights the need for similar investments in other communities that continue to face inadequate electricity supply.
Across Nigeria, many rural businesses still depend on petrol and diesel generators, which increase operating costs and can limit business growth.
Expanding reliable renewable energy to such communities could help reduce those pressures while supporting local production.
For Oke-Oyi, the arrival of the solar mini-grid has already created new economic activity. The next step is to protect the infrastructure, expand productive connections and ensure that residents continue to turn improved electricity access into lasting opportunities.
Ultimately, the success of the project will not be measured only by the number of solar panels installed. It will be measured by the businesses that survive, the jobs created, the income earned and the improvements residents experience in their daily lives.
