Jigawa State and Bauchi State are set for a major renewable energy boost after All On and Energise Africa announced a combined $4 million investment on Monday, August 31, 2026, to develop and deploy solar-powered mini-grids across 19 underserved communities in the two northern Nigerian states, with nearly 100,000 people expected to benefit.

The project will be implemented by Maskh Nigeria Limited under the Demand Aggregation for Renewable Energy Technology Programme, known as DART, as investors seek to expand access to reliable and affordable electricity beyond areas adequately served by the national grid.

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The investment is designed to serve households, small businesses and public institutions, including schools and health facilities, while creating opportunities for productive use of electricity and strengthening economic activity within the beneficiary communities.

For All On Chief Executive Officer Caroline Eboumbou, the significance of the project extends beyond simply putting more connections on the electricity map.

“Energy access is not simply about connecting communities to electricity; it is about creating the conditions for people and businesses to thrive,” Eboumbou said.

She said decentralised energy infrastructure could play an important role in communities where conventional electricity access remains limited, allowing solar mini-grids to support homes, schools, health facilities and businesses.

The investment also reflects growing interest in decentralised renewable energy as Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenge of providing dependable electricity to communities that remain poorly served by the national grid.

Rather than waiting for large-scale grid infrastructure to reach every settlement, mini-grids can provide a more localised route to electricity access, particularly in communities where extending conventional networks may be difficult or uneconomic.

All On said the financing would also strengthen the capacity of an indigenous energy company to deploy renewable infrastructure at scale.

The organisation described the investment as catalytic capital capable of supporting both energy access and the wider off-grid energy market.

The project will be delivered by Maskh Nigeria Limited, an indigenous company with expertise spanning renewable energy, construction, engineering, electrification and procurement.

For Maskh, the deal represents both an infrastructure project and an opportunity to expand its position in Nigeria’s growing renewable energy industry.

Qaim Mahmood, Director of Operations at Maskh Nigeria Limited, said the company was proud to be involved in bringing electricity to communities that have struggled with dependable power.

“We are deeply moved to play such an instrumental role in bringing clean, reliable power to underserved communities across Jigawa and Bauchi,” Mahmood said.

Mahmood said the 19 mini-grids were expected to reach almost 100,000 people, helping businesses grow, improving essential services and creating opportunities for younger generations.

He also said the investment would strengthen Maskh’s operational capacity, create jobs and position the company for further opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

The partnership brings together local implementation capacity and international impact investment.

Energise Africa, a UK-based impact investment platform, is backing the project alongside All On, an impact investor focused on developing Nigeria’s off-grid energy market.

Ray Coyle, Chief Executive Officer of Energise Africa, said the investment would provide benefits beyond electricity access.

“By helping to bring clean, reliable power to nineteen communities across Jigawa and Bauchi States, UK investors are supporting lasting social, economic and environmental impact that will benefit thousands of people in Nigeria,” Coyle said.

The choice of Jigawa and Bauchi is significant because reliable electricity remains an important constraint on economic activity in many underserved communities across northern Nigeria.

For households, more dependable electricity can reduce reliance on alternative sources of power.

For businesses, it can make productive activities such as refrigeration, processing, communications and small-scale manufacturing more practical.

Schools and health facilities also stand to benefit from improved access to electricity, potentially supporting basic services that depend increasingly on reliable power.

The project is being delivered through the DART Programme, a framework designed to support demand aggregation and the deployment of renewable energy technology.

The Rural Electrification Agency has previously identified DART as part of Nigeria’s broader off-grid electrification landscape.

The $4 million announcement comes at a time when Nigeria’s energy transition is increasingly being shaped not only by large power projects but also by smaller, decentralised systems that can serve communities beyond the immediate reach of the national grid.

The scale of the new project is notable.

Nineteen communities and nearly 100,000 potential beneficiaries means an average of more than 5,000 people per community, although the actual distribution of beneficiaries will depend on the size and electricity demand of each location.

The investment does not, however, mean that the wider electricity access challenge has been solved.

Mini-grids still require effective operation, maintenance, appropriate tariffs and long-term investment if the initial infrastructure is to translate into dependable electricity over time.

For the communities involved, the promise is nevertheless tangible: electricity that can support homes after dark, businesses during working hours and public services that require dependable power.

If successfully deployed and maintained, the project could offer more than a new source of electricity.

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It could demonstrate how targeted private investment and indigenous technical capacity can work together to bring renewable power closer to communities that have long remained on the margins of Nigeria’s electricity network.