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Nigeria, African Countries To Benefit From World Bank’s $22.5m Electricity Grant
Nigeria and 18 other African countries would benefit from World Bank’s 22.5 million dollars additional financing for the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP) in Western and Central Africa.
The World Bank announced this in a statement issued on Friday in Washington D.C., adding that its board of Executive Directors had approved the additional financing.
It said the additional financing was in the form of grants from the International Development Association (IDA) and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF).
According to the statement, the project’s geographic scope would cover Nigeria and 18 other countries in Western and Central Africa, 15 of which were members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Others are Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad and Mauritania.
According to the statement, the project is to support the development of the market for stand-alone solar products in Western and Central Africa, including a dedicated effort for the Sahel countries.
It noted that it complemented the 150 million dollars of IDA and 67.2 million dollars CTF approved by the board in April 2019 for the project.
“The project will support activities to accelerate the deployment of stand-alone solar products, in a sub-region where 50 per cent of the population does not have access to electricity and where less than 3 per cent of the population uses such innovative technologies.
“It seeks to harmonise policies and standards and business procedures to develop a regional market of stand-alone solar products, support entrepreneurs in business acceleration activities and provide credits and grants for the deployment of stand-alone solar home systems,” it said.
The statement further said the project was expected to contribute to human capital development by electrifying public health centers and schools, which were needed to improve health and education outcomes.
It also said the project would support job creation.
“For instance, it will apply in farming communities which can use solar water pumps for irrigation, solar milling equipment for product transformation and solar refrigerators to bring products to market.
“The project will support the small and innovative business enterprises through solar home systems and will make an impact in economic recovery, following the coronavirus pandemic,” it stated.
The statement noted that through the additional funding and restructuring, the ECOWAS had been appointed as a new implementing agency of the project, which would work on developing a regional market and supporting activities for entrepreneurs.
It added that the ECOWAS would coordinate the project activities with the West African Development Bank (BOAD), the other implementing agency of the project, which would support the provision of a line of credit with commercial banks operating in the sub-region.
Meanwhile Ms Deborah Wetzel, World Bank Director of Regional Integration for Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, noted that the stand-alone solar systems had a large market potential in Western and Central Africa including the Sahel.
She, however, said that investments in off-grid solutions had lagged behind in the sub-region.
“The new financing will help address the important growth in demand for reliable electricity and will help create jobs for the millions of people currently living without an electricity connection or with unreliable supply.
“It will also help businesses and public institutions that will use modern stand-alone solar systems to improve their living standards and economic activities,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the IDA, which was established in 1960, assists the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boosted economic growth.
It reduced poverty and improved the lives of the poor.
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Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has announced the launch of the second edition of its flagship women-empowerment initiative, the HerFidelity Apprenticeship Programme 2.0 (HAP 2.0).
According to the report, the programme is designed to equip women with practical, income?generating skills and structured pathways to entrepreneurship.
Accordingly, the HAP 2.0 will build on the success of its inaugural edition held in 2023.
During media chat with journalists to herald the launch of HAP 2.0, the Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc, Osita Ede, explained that the initiative has been enhanced to deliver greater impact.
He said HerFidelity Apprenticeship Programme 2.0 reflects their commitment to continuous improvement, having evaluated feedback from the first edition, they have returned with stronger partnerships and deeper mentorship programmes to ensure that women acquire not just skills, but sustainable economic opportunities.
Mr Ede, who said the programme is guided with real?world learning, also said that participants will undergo intensive apprenticeship training under reputable institutions and industry experts across selected fields such as hair styling, shoe making, auto mechatronics, and interior decoration.
Additionally, he said HerFidelity Apprenticeship Programme 2.0 goes beyond skills acquisition by offering participants a wide range of business advisory services.
These include business and financial literacy training, mentorship support throughout the apprenticeship journey, access to Fidelity Bank’s women?focused and SME financial solutions, as well as guidance on business formalisation and growth strategies.
Emphasizing the bank’s vision further, Ede said: “By integrating structured mentorship with entrepreneurial development, Fidelity Bank is positioning women not just as trainees, but as future employers, innovators, and economic contributors within their communities.
This aligns with our mandate to help individuals grow, businesses thrive, and economies prosper”.
It is noteworthy that interested participants are encouraged to indicate their interest by visiting https://bit.ly/
It is important to note that Fidelity Bank Plc is ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, with a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 10 million customers through digital banking channels, with 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
It is reported that the Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine.
By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts for a further one year, from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on (Information and Strategy) who disclosed this on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 stressed the Federal Government remains committed to policies that promote inclusive growth, local manufacturing, and position Nigeria as a competitive participant in global agricultural value chains.
The decision underscores the administration’s commitment to advancing industrial development, strengthening domestic value addition, and supporting the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The ban aims to deepen processing capacity within Nigeria, enhance livelihoods in shea-producing communities, and promote the growth of Nigerian exports anchored on value-added products.
To further these objectives, President Tinubu has authorised the two Ministers of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU), to coordinate the implementation of a unified, evidence-based national framework that aligns industrialisation, trade, and investment priorities across the shea nut value chain.
He also approved the adoption of an export framework established by the Nigerian Commodity Exchange (NCX) and the withdrawal of all waivers allowing the direct export of raw shea nuts.
The President directed that any excess supply of raw shea nuts should be exported exclusively through the NCX framework, in accordance with the approved guidelines.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
A Non – Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mercy Corps, has handed over a newly constructed Veterinary Clinic and a rehabilitated structure in Danmusa Local Government Area (LGA), to the Katsina State Government.
The project, which included a 20,000-litre capacity upgraded solar-powered borehole, was executed under the European Union-funded Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) project.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Wednesday, the Commissioner for Livestock and Animal Husbandry in Kastina State, Prof Ahmed Bakori, commended Mercy Corps and its partners on such commitment to support peace and development in the state.
While praising the state government for restoring peace and stability, the said project would improve livestock services and the welfare of farmers who depend on animal health services for livelihood.
Bakori buttressed that improved security in the state had enabled development partners to implement meaningful interventions in communities affected earlier.
He said, “Recently, Gov. Dikko Radda was in South Africa to explore strategies for boosting livestock production and strengthening the livestock value chain in line with the government’s economic development agenda.”
In his remarks, Mercy Corps Senior Programme Manager, Mr Philip Ikita, expressed satisfaction on the timely and successful implementation of the project in Danmusa.
He stated that although Mercy Corps began its operations in the state in 2023, security challenges, had initially prevented the organisation from accessing some areas, including Danmusa.
Ikita said that the project would improve access to essential services, strengthen livelihoods and contribute to sustaining peace in the community.
“The project involves the upgrade of a veterinary clinic from a two room structure into a fully functional six office facility, embarked on to strengthen livestock healthcare services in the area.
“The programme builds on the success of the Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation (CMCR) project and seeks to promote long-term peace and stability in Northwest Nigeria.
“It works across 48 communities in Zamfara and Katsina States, addressing the root causes of conflict, enhancing community resilience, and strengthening socio-economic recovery,” he said.
Also, the District Head of Danmusa, Ahmadu Abubakar, expressed appreciation to Mercy Corps and its partners for the intervention, describing the projects as timely and beneficial.
Earlier, the Chairman of Danmusa LGA, Ibrahim Na-Mama, represented by his Deputy, Musa Muhammad, expressed appreciation for the projects, assuring that the council would support efforts to safeguard them.
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