NCoS, REA Sign Deal On Renewable Energy, Training Centres

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Monday signed an agreement to deploy renewable energy infrastructure and training centres across correctional facilities nationwide.

The partnership, themed “Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Energy Access and Socio-Economic Development,” seeks to improve the quality of life for over 81,000 inmates across Nigeria and enhance rehabilitation through electricity access, skills development, and sustainable infrastructure.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, Controller General of NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, described the agreement as a transformative step toward inclusion and reintegration.

“We are not just signing an MoU today. We are leveraging a collaboration that will provide renewable energy, support rehabilitation, and enhance vocational training within our facilities,” Nwakuche said.

He noted that the initiative represented a second chance for thousands of inmates, many of whom are often forgotten in national development planning.

“Over 81,000 of my sons and daughters are in incarceration in a community that is often forgotten when the larger society is making progress,” he said. “Today, we are not just empowering infrastructure; we are empowering lives.”

Nwakuche lauded REA for extending energy access to correctional institutions and revealed that news of the initiative had already sparked hope among inmates, particularly in anticipation of educational and empowerment opportunities after their release.

On his part, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director and CEO of REA, said the agency’s MoUs were action-driven and intended to foster real development outcomes.

“At REA, we sign MoUs to make ourselves accountable to the Nigerian public,” he said.

Aliyu cited previous partnerships, including a collaboration with Huawei that led to the creation of Nigeria’s first Testing and Simulation Centre, and partnerships with over 20 renewable energy companies that helped catalyze more than N100bn in debt financing and $20 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

He also referenced a successful collaboration with the Police Trust Fund that led to the deployment of four operational smart police stations, saying the NCoS project would replicate and expand on those achievements.

“For the first time, we are deploying renewable infrastructure to power this community, to ease their living conditions and to enable inmates use their time meaningfully,” Aliyu said.

The MoU will facilitate the deployment of renewable mini-grids and the establishment of training centres in custodial centres, support education initiatives like those already running in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

“Such efforts cannot succeed without electricity. These courses are online, and without power, participation is not possible,” Aliyu added.

In his opening remarks, Engr. Umar Umar, Executive Director, Technical Services at REA, said the agreement marked a bold step in cross-sector collaboration to promote energy access and national development.

He noted that REA was already active in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with over 160MW of off-grid solar capacity deployed, electrifying more than 1,650 communities, powering 1,000+ healthcare centres, and connecting over 6 million Nigerians.

“But we know this is just the beginning. Through these MoUs, we are laying the foundation for a new chapter of accelerated impact,” Umar said.

He emphasised that the partnership would support Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which targets universal energy access by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060, while also enhancing justice sector reforms and human rights.

Present at the signing ceremony were dignitaries from public and private sector institutions, including the Managing Director of NIRSAL, representatives from UNDP, UKNIAF, TETFUND, GEM Africa, Africa Energy Council, and Barton Heyman.

NCoS, REA Sign Deal On Renewable Energy, Training Centres is first published on The Whistler Newspaper