Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has inaugurated the newly constituted governing board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in Abuja.
The inauguration marks the commencement of the board’s tenure as the agency continues efforts to expand electricity access through renewable energy and rural electrification initiatives across Nigeria.
The ceremony was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Board Chairman Ayodele Fayose, REA Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, members of the new board and other senior officials of the ministry.
Speaking at the inauguration, Tegbe charged the board members to ensure that their decisions translate into improved lives and livelihoods for ordinary Nigerians.
He said the constitution of the board was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen governance and accountability across public institutions.
The minister described REA as an institution with a critical role in expanding economic opportunities, noting that every mini-grid, solar home system and electrification project serving markets, schools, health centres and farms represents an investment in human capital and economic inclusion.
Tegbe highlighted the agency’s existing initiatives, including the Energizing Education, Economies and Agriculture Programmes and the Africa Mini-Grids Programme, as examples of how electricity access can support development in key sectors of the economy.
He said the new board, constituted under Section 130 of the Electricity Act, was assuming office at a defining moment for the agency.
Tegbe also clarified the responsibilities of the board and REA management, stressing that the board would focus on strategic direction and oversight while management would remain responsible for the agency’s day-to-day operations.
According to him, the board would meet quarterly to review performance, while management would retain operational flexibility between meetings, subject to full accountability.
The minister commended Fayose’s record as a former governor of Ekiti State and expressed confidence in the ability of the new board to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s electricity sector.
He assured the board of the Ministry’s continued partnership, describing electricity as an instrument for inclusion, opportunity and prosperity.
Responding on behalf of the board, Fayose said the appointment of Tegbe as Minister of Power by President Tinubu demonstrated the administration’s seriousness about addressing Nigeria’s power challenges.
He described the appointment as a signal that the government was determined to pursue a lasting solution to the country’s electricity problems.
The new board is expected to provide strategic oversight for REA’s programmes aimed at improving electricity access, particularly through renewable energy solutions and electrification projects in underserved communities.
