The governments of Kaduna and Adamawa states have officially issued Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) for critical mini-grid project sites being developed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

The approval serves as a bold and commendable step toward accelerating energy access and renewable energy deployment within their respective states. 

The mini-grid project sites are being developed under the Federal Government’s Rural Electrification Agency’s (REA) Minimum Subsidy Tender (MST) program. 

The approvals, which are granted within hours of engagements with REA, underscore a strong commitment by both state governments to enabling infrastructure deployment, supporting private sector participation, and removing the administrative bottlenecks that often delay project implementation.

Speaking on the development, the managing director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, commended both governors for their exceptional responsiveness and proactive leadership. 
He noted that such decisive actions send a powerful signal to investors, developers, and financing institutions about the readiness of states to support large-scale electrification projects.

DAILY POST reports that MST program is a key deployment framework under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), designed to accelerate electrification in pre-selected, underserved communities with strong economic growth potential through a competitive, private sector-led tender process. 

Under this framework, communities are identified, verified, and sensitized by the REA, while developers compete for the capital grant support required to deploy sustainable mini-grid infrastructure.

The program is being rolled out in phases, with the first phase prioritizing over 163 sites across multiple states, including Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Cross River, Kano, Niger, Ondo, Ogun, Plateau, and Kebbi. 

To improve operational efficiency, encourage economies of scale, and strengthen long-term sustainability, sites are packaged into state-based lots. Collectively, the program is expected to deploy approximately 213.436 MWp of solar PV capacity across participating communities.
In Kaduna State, land titles were secured for the Trapco site in Chikun LGA, which targets 3,100 projected connections with a 2.0 MWp capacity, and the Makarfi 1 site in Makarfi LGA, aiming for 4,000 projected connections with a 4.0 MWp capacity.

Similarly, in Adamawa State, Certificates of Occupancy were issued for three major interconnected mini-grid sites currently under development. 
These include Kofare in Yola South LGA, which features 19,220 projected connections and an 8.0 MWp solar capacity; Mbamba in Yola South LGA, with 2,282 projected connections and a 0.8 MWp capacity; and Saminaka in Fufore LGA, offering 4,660 projected connections and a 2.5 MWp capacity. 

The Plateau State chapter of the Coalition of Fulani Registered Organizations, has called on Gov. Caleb Mutfwang to extend his recent order to security agents to shoot-on-sight anyone found destroying farmlands in the state to accommodate cattle rustlers and those who attack innocent Fulani herdsmen going about their legitimate businesses.

The coalition, which is an umbrella body of different Fulani pastoralist and socio-cultural groups in the state, in a statement signed on Saturday by its Chairman, Hon. Garba Abdullahi Muhammad, said if Gov. Mutfwang is to be seen as being fair and just, he should also give an order that anyone caught stealing Fulani cattle or attacking herdsmen should be shot on sight as well.

While commending the governor for his prompt response to the renewed clashes between farmers and herders in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Bokkos Local Government Areas and his efforts at restoring peace in the areas, Muhammad said the coalition was worried that overzealous security agents and ethnic militia gangs could take advantage of the pronouncement and unleash violence on innocent Fulani people.

“While we commend Gov. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang on his efforts at resolving the current ongoing crisis and restoring peace in the state especially in Local Government Areas, we also urge him to extend the shoot-on-sight order to cattle rustlers and those who attack innocent Fulani herdsmen going about their legitimate businesses,” Muhammad.

“By doing that, he will be seen as being fair and just. Anything out of this will be seen as taking sides and being partisan. We also fear that overzealous security personnel and ethnic militias could take advantage of the order and unleash terror on innocent herdsmen,” he added.

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The coalition also raised concerns over what it described as the killing of herders, cattle rustling, poisoning of grazing lands and water sources, and destruction of livestock belonging to Fulani communities in some local communities in the state and called on the government to extend the shoot-at-sight directive on farm destruction also to cover cattle rustling, cattle poisoning, and attacks on herders and their livelihoods.

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“‎The Coalition calls for fairness, justice, and equal protection for both farmers and herders. Lasting peace in Plateau can only be achieved through dialogue, accountability, and mutual respect,” the statement added.

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