Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have formalised a strategic partnership to carry out a comprehensive National Energy Survey designed to strengthen electricity access planning across the country. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Abuja marks a key step toward better data for energy policy and investment decisions.
At the core of the collaboration is the use of the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognised methodology to map energy access at multiple levels, from households to public institutions. This detailed approach aims to uncover gaps in power availability, affordability and the adoption of off-grid solutions such as solar home systems and mini-grids.
In Abuja, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of REA, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, explained that the partnership reflects the agency’s commitment to data-driven electrification planning. He emphasised that the survey’s findings will feed directly into Nigeria’s National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (NESIP), while also strengthening investor confidence in the nation’s energy sector.
Aliyu stated, “This collaboration will provide granular, credible data on electricity access, affordability, and off-grid energy solutions across Nigeria.” Reliable, high-resolution statistics like these are essential for targeting underserved areas and improving energy distributions.
For its part, the NBS will provide technical oversight, including sampling expertise and methodological validation to ensure the survey meets international statistical standards. Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation, stressed that robust data quality and credibility are fundamental to effective policy and sustainable development.
Under the MoU, the survey will examine:
Energy access across households, communities, enterprises and public institutions
Household expenditure patterns and willingness to pay for grid and off-grid solutions
Extent of adoption and usage of technologies like solar systems and mini-grids
REA will act as the key policy and implementation partner, helping align the survey with rural electrification priorities and stakeholder engagement initiatives. Meanwhile, NBS will handle regulatory approval, technical supervision and capacity-building for enumerators to uphold data quality.
The survey is funded and technically overseen by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), which will also engage a qualified survey firm to conduct fieldwork, data analysis and reporting. The MoU is expected to remain in effect for 18 months and produce insights that will shape national planning.
Economically, the availability of high-quality energy access data is expected to spur private and public investment in Nigeria’s power sector by better highlighting market opportunities and reducing information risk, a critical factor for economic growth and job creation across underserved regions.
Nigeria’s electrification challenges are significant: data from the National Bureau of Statistics previously showed about 58 percent of households are connected to the national grid, leaving millions without reliable power. Comprehensive data from this new survey could help bridge this gap.
By bringing together technical expertise, rigorous data collection and international support, the REA-NBS partnership represents a major effort to deepen energy sector insights and accelerate access to reliable electricity nationwide, a foundational pillar for economic development and improved living standards.
