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“Over 90 Million Nigerians Still In Darkness As Power Access Crisis Deepens”
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, has warned that Nigeria now has the highest number of people without access to electricity globally, with an estimated 90 million citizens still living in darkness.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking on a national television programme on Monday, Aliyu described the figure as alarming but noted that the federal government, working with the private sector, is taking unprecedented steps to close the gap.
“Nigeria has the highest number of people without access to electricity, but this is the first time I have seen a government genuinely addressing it. Apart from India, no other country has developed a structure like ours to lift people out of electricity poverty,” he said.
Despite the daunting statistics, Aliyu said progress has been made, pointing out that over 70 million Nigerians are now connected to power through programmes implemented under the REA. He confirmed the figure of 90 million people without electricity, adding that the agency is tackling the challenge head-on.
According to him, ongoing initiatives are set to provide electricity to millions more. “We have one programme targeting 17.5 million people, which will be completed within three years. The president’s recent visit to Japan has secured electricity for an additional 1.83 million Nigerians. We are also developing the E-Heart project for 16 million people, though financing is yet to be secured,” Aliyu explained.
The REA boss stressed that the agency’s current model differs from past approaches, as it incentivises private sector investment in commercially viable infrastructure rather than relying solely on government contracts. “We built the structure around the private sector. With their own funds alongside ours, they have a vested interest in ensuring projects remain functional over time,” he said.
Aliyu cited successful mini-grid installations at Alex Ekwueme University and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, which have operated reliably for more than five years, as well as a 20,000-kilowatt solar and hydro project in Balanga, Gombe State, supporting local wheat farmers. He also revealed ongoing efforts to expand renewable energy sources, noting that solar remains the most cost-effective, while biomass and wind projects are also under development.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Nigerian Wind Council to advance large-scale wind generation. To ensure long-term sustainability, Aliyu said the agency is developing a renewable asset management framework to refurbish failed or underperforming projects and reintegrate them into the national grid.
“We are designing a system to make sure projects do not fail permanently. Any underperforming infrastructure can be repaired and brought back into service,” he said.
Aliyu assured that the agency would publish verifiable data on its progress to maintain transparency and reaffirmed that the ultimate goal is to deliver lasting, reliable electricity to rural and underserved communities.
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INEC Chairman Amupitan Faces Angry Protesters During London Visit (Video).
Nigerians living in the United Kingdom on Thursday staged a protest against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, during his visit to Chatham House in London.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that the demonstrators, reportedly members of the Nigerian diaspora, gathered around the vehicle conveying the INEC chairman outside the venue, chanting slogans and making accusations against him and the electoral body.
Some of the protesters described INEC as a “criminal organisation” and demanded Amupitan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the commission’s preliminary voter register.
Their complaints reportedly centred on claims of duplicate entries, the inclusion of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and the existence of fake polling units in the register.
The demonstration took place as Amupitan arrived at Chatham House to participate in a discussion on Nigeria’s electoral process.
During the engagement, organised by the Kimpact Development Initiative, the INEC chairman appealed to Nigerians to have confidence in his leadership, assuring them that the commission was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027.
Amupitan acknowledged that the technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general election had weakened public confidence in INEC, adding that the commission was working to restore Nigerians’ trust.
He said, “The 2023 general election significantly affected public confidence in INEC, and the commission is still working to rebuild the trust of Nigerians.”
The INEC chairman, however, assured Nigerians that measures had been put in place to prevent inaccurate polling unit results from appearing on the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2027 elections.
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INEC Chairman Breaks Silence On Atiku’s Fate If Court Rules Against Him.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has stated that the commission will comply with any court ruling concerning former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had nullified the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) caretaker committee and invalidated its decisions, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
Speaking on the matter on Thursday during an engagement at Chatham House in London, Amupitan said INEC was legally bound to obey any court order, particularly a decision of the Supreme Court, irrespective of its political implications.
He explained that although implementing such rulings could put the commission at the centre of political controversies, it would still have to respect the law.
He said: “If it travels through the courts and, as you said, he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court.
“But the danger is that whenever there’s such a decision, and it’s you who now has to implement it, you become the problem.
“The problem now is transferred to you. But that is the position of the law.”
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission was handling more than 300 court cases, with approximately 66 days remaining before the 2027 general election.
Amupitan said he had previously called for pre-election disputes to be concluded at least six months to one year before an election to enable INEC to focus on its preparations.
According to him, resolving such cases early would allow the commission to concentrate on logistical arrangements, particularly the procurement of sensitive election materials.
He said: “I had advocated in several forums that election matters, pre-election matters rather, should be at least a year before the election. Or let’s say six months.
“So that we can face our logistics. Now we have gone into serious procurement of the most sensitive materials. So that’s a very big issue for us.”
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“My Man Is Not Finding It Funny” – Nkechi Blessing Warns Opeyemi Falegan Over Her Pictures.
Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing has appealed to her former lover, Opeyemi Falegan, to stop posting her pictures on social media.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The warning came barely five days after the actress and the Ekiti-born politician reconciled and apologised to each other during a TikTok live session.
News reports that Nkechi and Falegan settled their past differences on November 7, 2026, following issues surrounding their former relationship.
However, Falegan, who is also a United States-based military officer, later shared a picture of himself and the actress on social media.
The post generated reactions among Nigerians, with some assuming that the former lovers had rekindled their romance.
Nkechi, however, dismissed such suggestions, insisting that their reconciliation did not mean they had resumed their romantic relationship.
In a post shared on her Instagram Story on Thursday, the actress called on people close to Falegan to advise him to stop sharing her pictures.
She explained that his repeated posts were creating tension between her and her current partner, who was uncomfortable with the situation.
She said: “Anybody wey sabi that honorable should pls tell him to stop posting my picture on his page every minute. My man is not finding it funny and I am seriously tired of explaining like I’m a child. Oga we don apologise to each other kindly leave me alone na.”
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