Gombe community gets electricity after 17 years

The Federal Government and the Gombe State Government have commissioned a 1-megawatt solar mini-grid project in Talasse, Balanga Local Government Area, in a move expected to improve electricity access after 17 years without connection to the national electricity grid and opening new economic opportunities for residents.

The project, commissioned on Saturday, October 17, 2026, includes a 2.4-megawatt-hour battery storage system and is expected to provide electricity to more than 6,000 households and businesses through an 11-kilovolt distribution network and smart prepaid meters.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, described the project as a significant milestone in the country’s drive to expand electricity access, improve energy security and promote sustainable development.

Olasunkanmi said the intervention reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to extending electricity to underserved communities, regardless of their geographical location.

“Now you have brought light to the people of Balanga Local Government Area after 17 years of darkness. May God bless you,” the minister told Governor Inuwa Yahaya.

He added, “President Bola Tinubu will not stop until we power the entire Nigeria.”

The minister also announced the commencement of four interconnected mini-grid projects in Dukku, Bajoga, Kumo and Kaltungo, with a combined planned capacity of 16 megawatts.

The projects, alongside the Talasse installation, represent an expansion of renewable energy infrastructure in the state.

According to Olasunkanmi, the Federal Government’s renewable energy interventions across different states are designed to bring investment closer to communities, stimulate local businesses and strengthen economic activities.

He said the benefits of the projects would be measured by their impact on farmers, traders, artisans and young people seeking opportunities within their communities.

“The farmer in Dukku can process produce closer to home. The trader in Bajoga can preserve perishable goods, while the artisan in Kumo can power his equipment,” he said.

The minister commended the Rural Electrification Agency and its partners for supporting the implementation of the projects.

In his remarks, Governor Yahaya said the commissioning fulfilled a commitment he made on November 3, 2025, when he flagged off the construction of the Talasse solar mini-grid.

“Today, barely one year after that event, we have returned to turn what was then a promise into reality. What was then a construction site has become a source of power, opportunity and renewed hope for our people,” the governor said.

Yahaya said the project would improve productivity, support enterprise development, create jobs and enhance living standards in the rural community.

He described electricity as a fundamental driver of economic development, noting that the absence of reliable power had constrained the activities of farmers, traders, artisans and entrepreneurs in the area.

The governor said the project would also improve learning conditions in schools, strengthen healthcare delivery and provide greater comfort and security for households.

He disclosed that his administration had established a regulatory framework for the state’s electricity sector through the Gombe State Electricity Law, alongside the creation of the Gombe State Electricity Regulatory Commission and Gombe Electricity Company Limited.

According to him, the measures are intended to attract investment, encourage private-sector participation and enable the state to play a more active role in electricity generation and distribution.

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Yahaya also announced plans to flag off another four-megawatt solar mini-grid project in Akko, Dukku, Funakaye and Kaltungo, while disclosing that ongoing mini-grid projects had reached 90 per cent completion.

He said the broader programme was expected to extend improved electricity access to 80 communities across the state.

To maximise the economic benefits of the Talasse project, the governor said his administration would complement rural electrification with productive-use equipment, including rice milling machines, flour-grinding machines, oil-processing equipment and electric motorcycles.

“These interventions are designed to promote agro-processing, reduce production costs, enhance productivity and create new opportunities for employment and wealth creation, particularly among our rural farmers, women and young entrepreneurs,” he said.

Yahaya urged residents to protect the facility against vandalism, electricity theft, illegal connections and other forms of misuse, stressing that its sustainability would depend on responsible management and community ownership.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abubakar Aliyu, said the agency was implementing 32 projects across Gombe State to expand electricity access in underserved communities.

Aliyu commended the state government for adopting a public-private partnership model that allows government to participate directly in renewable energy investments.

He said the approach, which has become known as the “Gombe Model”, had attracted interest from other states.

“Six other states have copied this model, and they are currently implementing it,” Aliyu said, attributing its adoption to the financial commitment and leadership of the Gombe State Government.

The developer of the project and Managing Director of Mids Dynamics Limited, Khalid Mohammed, said the Talasse facility was designed to generate reliable electricity for more than 6,000 households and businesses, with an estimated annual output exceeding 950 megawatt-hours over its 25-year design life.

Mohammed said the project was implemented under the Nigeria Electrification Project through the Rural Electrification Agency, with support from the Federal Government and the World Bank.

He described the financing arrangement as a significant departure from conventional renewable energy projects, noting that the Gombe State Government participated as an equity investor alongside the private developer.

“At Talasse, for the first time in the Federal Republic, a state government has come forward as an equity investor, acquired a direct stake in the project and complemented the performance-based grant,” he said.

According to him, the arrangement reduces investment risks, accelerates project delivery and gives the state a direct interest in the project’s long-term success.

Mohammed disclosed that his company had attracted more than $30m in grant funding and private equity into Gombe State through its projects, with additional renewable energy investments planned.

He said the company had a 30-megawatt peak project portfolio under development in the state, with another 40 megawatts in the pipeline.

The Chairman of Balanga Local Government Area, Ibrahim Salihu, described the project as a practical demonstration of the state government’s commitment to improving rural livelihoods.

He urged residents to protect the facility and use the electricity to improve businesses, education, healthcare and other productive activities.

The council chairman reaffirmed the local government’s support for the state administration and thanked the Federal Government and development partners for their contributions to the intervention.