Nigeria is taking a step toward reshaping its energy future. The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a nationwide energy survey that promises to change how the country plans and invests in power.
The agreement was sealed in Abuja by REA’s Managing Director, Dr Abba Aliyu, and NBS’s Statistician-General, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran.
Both leaders described the partnership as a turning point for evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
The survey will be guided by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP) and use the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework, a global standard for measuring energy access.
By deploying this framework, Nigeria hopes to capture not just who has electricity, but how reliable, affordable, and sustainable that access truly is.
Aliyu explained that the initiative reflects REA’s commitment to data-driven rural electrification.
“As we work towards universal energy access, accurate data is critical for prioritising interventions, targeting underserved communities and attracting private capital into the sector,” he said.
He added that the findings will feed directly into the National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan, ensuring that policies are grounded in reality rather than assumptions.
What the Survey Will Cover
The scope of the survey is ambitious. It will assess energy access at household, community, enterprise, and public institution levels.
Beyond availability, it will probe affordability, household expenditure patterns, and willingness to pay. Off-grid solutions such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking technologies will also be examined, reflecting Nigeria’s growing interest in decentralised energy.
Prince Adeniran emphasised the importance of statistical rigor. “Reliable data is fundamental to effective policy formulation and sustainable development, particularly in a sector as critical as energy,” he said.
The NBS will oversee sampling frameworks, methodological validation, and technical supervision, while also training enumerators to ensure credibility.
REA will act as the policy anchor, aligning the survey with national electrification priorities and engaging stakeholders across the energy value chain. The World Bank, through ESMAP, will provide funding and technical oversight, while a professional survey firm will handle field data collection and analysis.
The collaboration signals Nigeria’s recognition that energy planning cannot rely on outdated figures or fragmented reports. With excise duties, petroleum revenues, and other fiscal streams under pressure, the country’s ability to attract investment in power infrastructure depends on transparent, high-quality data.
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