Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency says a newly completed nationwide energy mapping exercise could reshape how power projects are planned and funded. According to REA Managing Director Dr. Abba Aliyu, the map identified more than 750,000 communities, creating a clearer picture of where electricity needs are greatest and where investment can have the biggest impact.
The exercise is designed to support targeted power investments rather than broad, less precise interventions. By mapping communities across the country, the agency aims to help decision-makers direct resources to areas that need electrification most, while also improving the planning of future energy projects.
Aliyu said the value of the map goes beyond access to electricity. The data is also expected to help unlock economic opportunities by showing where energy supply can support local development, business activity and wider growth. In that sense, the project is being positioned as both an infrastructure tool and an economic planning tool.
The development highlights a more data-driven approach to Nigeria’s power expansion efforts. With a detailed view of underserved communities, the REA expects the energy map to guide government action and attract more focused investment into the country’s electrification push.
