Thursday 30The European Union (EU) has said it has given additional funding of 15 million euros (about N7.141 billion) grant to promote renewable energy development in Nigeria.

This was revealed at a ceremony to mark the extension of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) phase II, which will run until 30 November, 2022.

The programme is being supported by the Deutsche Geselleschaft für Internationale zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and EU with a previous 20m euros grant.

With the new grant from the EU, total funding for NESP has reached 35m euros from the EU and 13m euros from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Head of Cooperation and the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, said, “The programme is a notable example of efficient cooperation with GIZ and the Nigerian Government to help the country achieve the renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.”

Country Director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Ina Hommers, described the development of the Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All (NigeriaSE4ALL) in collaboration with the federal Ministry of Power as a major milestone of NESP ll. The platform, a central energy data management system, was launched earlier this year.

‘’The platform aims to offer the most accurate data and latest tools that empower data- driven and least cost electrification planning in Nigeria. Over 3,000 settlements and 2.6 million buildings have been remotely mapped. With over 50,000km of electricity grid tracked in 22 states,” she stated.