The Niger State Government has secured a $150 million loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to construct a 100-megawatt (MW) solar power plant, taking a major step toward expanding energy access and stabilizing the state’s power infrastructure.
The development was announced by Mustapha Abubakar, Chairman of the New Niger Development Project (NNDP), during a media briefing hosted by the Niger State Ministry of Information and Orientation in Minna.
To complement the IsDB loan, the state government will provide $10 million in counterpart funding, bringing the total investment in the renewable energy project to $160 million.
Abubakar attributed the successful loan approval to the state’s strong performance in executing existing infrastructure initiatives, particularly the ongoing Minna-Bida Road construction. “In the portfolio of IsDB as of today, the Minna-Bida Road project is the best-managed project,” Abubakar stated. “Because of how effectively we managed that project, it strengthened our credibility and helped us secure financing for this solar initiative.”
The proposed solar farm, designated as the Niger State Solar Electrification Project (NGA1063), will span approximately 200 hectares in Maikunkele. Beyond power generation, the facility will feature integrated social intervention programs to support livelihoods in host communities.
The 100MW solar plant forms a core pillar of Niger State’s strategy to reduce its reliance on Nigeria’s frequently unstable national grid. By generating localised, renewable power, the state aims to supply reliable electricity to households, spur regional industrialisation, and boost agricultural processing capacity.
The project also aligns with Mission 300, a joint global initiative spearheaded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. Under the broader Mission 300 framework, an estimated 17.5 million Nigerians are expected to gain access to household electricity through subnational and private-sector-led renewable projects.
