The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Mr Deolu Ijose, has said the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) interconnected mini-grid project provides an important platform for collaboration to address electricity access challenges through practical and commercially sustainable arrangements.

Ijose stated this on Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) DARES MST Lot 6 hybrid interconnected mini-grid project held at Bishop Phillips Academy School in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The event was attended by the Minister of Power, Chief Olasunkanmi Joseph Tegbe; the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, represented by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Professor Dahud Shangodoyin; the Managing Director and CEO of the REA, Mr Abba Aliyu; and a representative of the World Bank.

Others present included the Managing Director and CEO of Paras Energy and Natural Resources Development Limited, Mr Yashwant Kumar; Oba Rashidi Ladoja; the Oyo State APC governorship candidate, Sarafa Alli; and Ibadan-based entrepreneur, Chief Dotun Sanusi, among others.

In his address, the IBEDC managing director said the project demonstrated how electricity distribution companies and independent energy developers could collaborate to create new opportunities in Nigeria’s evolving electricity market.

He said: “For IBEDC, the DARES initiative provides an important platform for collaboration with government, development partners, regulators and private-sector developers to address electricity access challenges through practical and commercially sustainable arrangements.

“Therefore, the interconnected mini-grid model presents one such opportunity. This project is designed to serve five community clusters — Bola, Jiboye, Molade-Adelubi, Ogo-Oluwa and Sooko-Elega — with an estimated 22,597 electricity connections.”

According to him, the project will deploy a combined 17.7 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system supported by 17.74MW battery energy storage, interconnected with IBEDC’s existing distribution infrastructure.

“This integrated solution is expected to improve electricity availability and supply reliability for households, businesses and productive-use customers across the beneficiary communities,” he added.

Speaking on IBEDC’s role, Ijose said the five beneficiary clusters were within the company’s franchise area and customer base. He explained that the company’s existing distribution infrastructure would be used to integrate and deliver electricity generated by Paras Energy.

“This arrangement brings together existing network assets and additional generation capacity to improve electricity access and support better energy outcomes for the benefiting communities,” he said.

He noted that the project builds on IBEDC’s experience with innovative energy-access solutions, including the Mokoloki Mini-Grid Project in Ogun State in 2019 and the Oke-Oyi interconnected mini-grid project in Kwara State, which was commissioned on September 24, 2026, in partnership with Nayo Tropical Technology Limited.

“These experiences strengthen our efforts to explore viable distributed-energy solutions across our franchise area. Beyond individual projects, IBEDC is actively engaging with stakeholders and developers to advance renewable energy and distributed generation opportunities,” he said.

The IBEDC chief executive stressed that although the groundbreaking marked an important milestone, the project’s lasting value would depend on successful implementation and the benefits delivered to the communities.

He appreciated the continued commitment of the REA, Paras Energy, the World Bank, the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders.

Ijose also appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders and residents of Bola, Jiboye, Molade-Adelubi, Ogo-Oluwa and Sooko-Elega to support the project by protecting electricity infrastructure and maintaining constructive engagement with service providers.

“On behalf of IBEDC, I congratulate all stakeholders for their contributions. We look forward to continued collaboration and the successful completion and commissioning of this project for the benefit of the five communities,” he concluded.