Akeddei solar project targets 1,058 connections across communities
By Our Reporter …expands focus on small businesses The All On Akeddei Community Project in Bayelsa State is poised for a significant scale-up, with plans to deliver an estimated 1,058
By Our Reporter
...expands focus on small businesses
The All On Akeddei Community Project in Bayelsa State is poised for a significant scale-up, with plans to deliver an estimated 1,058 electricity connections, prioritising productive-use customers including small businesses, artisans and service providers.
The Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ureh, disclosed this in a statement signed by Bolatito Adebola, External Media Consultant, noting that the expansion is designed to replicate the success recorded in the second phase of the initiative.
Ureh said the Akeddei community has closely followed the project’s development, driven not only by its promise but also by the active involvement of residents.
He observed that the atmosphere in the community has shifted markedly in recent months following All On’s $532,828 grant to Darway Coast Ltd for the development of a 195kWp solar hybrid mini-grid. According to him, steady progress on the project has boosted optimism among residents.
“The installation of equipment, training of local workers and visible advancement at the project site all indicate that reliable electricity—long anticipated by the community—is now within reach,” he said.
Ureh noted that expectations in Akeddei have also been influenced by developments in nearby Oweikorogha, where All On completed the first phase of its Niger Delta Electrification Project.
He explained that the 80kWp hybrid mini-grid in Oweikorogha exceeded its target of 430 connections, delivering power to 451 homes and businesses.
“The introduction of stable electricity transformed daily life almost immediately. Businesses extended operating hours, households reduced reliance on generators, and essential services such as schools and clinics became more dependable,” he added.
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Ureh further stated that local youths have been engaged in construction and site preparation, while Darway Coast Ltd has commenced training community-based operators to manage long-term technical and administrative functions upon completion of the mini-grid.
"But the hope goes far deeper than jobs. Residents are looking ahead to what reliable electricity will mean for their businesses, their children’s education, and their overall quality of life.
"Fishermen are thinking about cold storage; shop owners are planning to power freezers and lighting; students are imagining evening study hours without noise and fumes from generators.
"Health workers are eager for stable power to store vaccines and run essential equipmen," he said.
The CEO said that the project would also strengthen livelihoods in underserved communities across the Niger Delta saying that for Darway Coast Ltd, the work resonates deeply.
“As a company, we are committed to delivering affordable, reliable electricity that drives economic growth while safeguarding the interests of our customers and partners.
"We are confident that the beneficiaries in Akeddei will experience meaningful and measurable improvements in their quality of life, unlocking broader economic opportunities for the community.
"As Akeddei approaches the final stages of installation with commissioning expected in Q2 2026, the community’s anticipation is grounded in real, visible progressThey have seen firsthand what happened in Oweikorogha. They have watched neighbours in the region step into new opportunities because of reliable, affordable power. And now, they are preparing for a similar change,"he said.
Ureh added that the story of the Akeddei minigrid was not one of wishful thinking adding that it was a story of tangible advancement, shared effort, and the belief, supported by proven results, that life could indeed change when clean, reliable energy arrives.
According to him All On Partnerships for Energy Access (All On), an independent impact investing company, was seeded by Shell to accelerate the closing of the energy access gap in Nigeria.
He said that it arrived provide debt and equity funding, as well as non-financial support, to Nigerian energy companies that align with its mission.
