For nearly 100,000 people across 19 communities in northern Nigeria, unreliable electricity could soon become less of a daily obstacle. All On and Energise Africa have committed $4 million to Maskh Nigeria Limited to develop and deploy solar-powered mini-grids across communities in Jigawa and Bauchi states.
The investment comes under the Demand Aggregation for Renewable Energy Technology (DART) Programme and is designed to expand access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity in areas where grid power remains inadequate. The project will serve households, businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, public institutions and other productive-use customers.
For Maskh, an indigenous Nigerian company with experience in renewable energy, engineering, construction, electrification and procurement, the funding represents a major opportunity to scale its clean-energy operations. The company will deploy 19 mini-grids across the two states, with the project expected to reach almost 100,000 people.
The importance of the investment extends beyond simply putting electricity connections in underserved communities. Reliable power can directly influence how local economies function. Small businesses can operate for longer hours, shops and workshops can reduce their dependence on expensive alternative power sources, while schools and health facilities can provide services with greater reliability.
This productive-use element is central to the project. By bringing electricity closer to communities, mini-grids can help businesses use equipment that requires dependable power, creating opportunities for higher productivity, new enterprises and additional employment.
The investment also highlights the growing role of decentralised energy in Nigeria’s electricity transition. Rather than relying entirely on large-scale grid infrastructure, solar mini-grids can provide local power to communities that are difficult or uneconomical to serve through conventional networks. All On described the investment as an example of catalytic capital supporting indigenous energy companies capable of delivering scalable solutions to persistent energy-access challenges.
Energise Africa, a UK-based impact investment platform, sees the project as another way for investors to support clean-energy access and generate social, economic and environmental impact. Its participation connects international impact capital with a locally led energy project in Nigeria.
For Maskh, the project could also strengthen its ability to take on larger renewable-energy opportunities. The company says the investment will help build capacity, create jobs and position it for further expansion.
The $4 million commitment therefore represents more than an infrastructure investment. It is a bet on the ability of distributed solar power and local energy companies to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges from the community level upward.
If successfully deployed, the 19 mini-grids could demonstrate how targeted financing can simultaneously expand clean-energy access, support businesses and strengthen essential services in communities that have long struggled with unreliable electricity.
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