The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has approved about N100 billion for the deployment of 50 megawatts of solar-powered electricity across the region as it moves into the third phase of its master plan.
The commission said the intervention is aimed at addressing the region’s power deficit and supporting economic activities, particularly in schools, healthcare facilities, markets, entrepreneurial centres and other critical infrastructure.
The NEDC Managing Director disclosed this during an engagement with journalists, explaining that reliable electricity had become critical to the success of the commission’s ongoing development projects.
He said about 61 per cent of the population in the North-East lacks access to reliable electricity, compared with about 42 per cent nationally.
According to him, the board had approved the immediate commencement of the 50MW project, which would be delivered through solar-powered mini-grids.
“Power is number one, power is number two, power is number three. Without power, you cannot do anything,” he said.He explained that many of the commission’s completed projects, including schools, maternity clinics, markets and entrepreneurship centres, would require reliable electricity to function effectively.
The NEDC boss said the commission’s master plan was structured into four phases: stabilisation and recovery, renewal, expansion, and sustainable growth.
He said the commission had achieved more than 80 per cent of its targets under the first two phases and was now moving into the third phase, focused on production and development.
As part of its interventions in the health sector, the commission said it had increased the availability of advanced diagnostic equipment in the region.
The NEDC said its assessment had revealed that the entire North-East, with a population of about 28 million people, had only one functional MRI machine.
The commission said the situation would change with the deployment of eight modern MRI machines across major health institutions in the region.
It said the intervention would reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for specialised diagnostic services while also helping to lower associated costs and security risks.
The commission also disclosed that it had completed more than 300 kilometres of roads across the North-East, particularly in areas previously affected by insecurity and poor infrastructure.
It cited the construction of about 40 kilometres of roads in the Jere Bowl area of Borno State, saying the project had significantly reduced travel time between communities.
According to the commission, journeys that previously took between five and six hours could now be completed in about 30 minutes.
It added that nearly 50 bridges were being rehabilitated or reconstructed across the region to improve connectivity and address longstanding transportation challenges.
In the education sector, the NEDC said it had embarked on the construction of 18 mega schools, with three located in each of the six North-East states.
The schools, according to the commission, combine primary and secondary sections and are equipped with facilities required to provide a conducive learning environment. It said all but one or two of the projects were already functional.
The commission further disclosed that it had installed more than 100,000 solar streetlights across cities, towns and villages in the North-East.
It said about 48,000 streetlights were installed in the previous year, while more than 50,000 were being delivered under the current phase.
The commission said the lighting projects had contributed to improved security while also creating opportunities for small businesses and traders to operate in the evenings.
The commission also announced plans to introduce electric mobility as part of its efforts to promote environmentally friendly transportation in the region.
It said it had procured 10,000 electric minibuses, about 300 electric taxis, as well as electric buses for interstate transportation.The NEDC said the electric vehicles would be deployed across the six states, with charging infrastructure to support their operations.
The commission said the third phase of its master plan would focus on using infrastructure investments to stimulate production, entrepreneurship, employment and sustainable economic growth across the North-East.