Fayose assumes office as REA board Chairman, pledges rural electrification drive.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has formally assumed office as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) following his inauguration by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in Abuja.
Fayose was inaugurated alongside other members of the agency’s governing board, including Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar, Mr Ilyasu Makinta and other non-executive directors, while Mr Abba Aliyu officially took office as the Managing Director of the agency.
Speaking after the inauguration, Fayose expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the appointment and pledged to provide the political leadership needed to advance the agency’s mandate of expanding electricity access across Nigeria.
According to him, his immediate priority is to strengthen the agency’s capacity to deliver on its programmes by securing adequate support and resources for both short- and long-term electrification projects.
He assured Nigerians that the new board would work diligently to meet public expectations and contribute to the success of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Fayose emphasized that the agency’s responsibility extends beyond the provision of electricity, noting that rural electrification must translate into improved living conditions and economic opportunities for communities across the country.
Earlier, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe described the REA as a strategic institution in Nigeria’s power sector and urged the new board to focus on the number of communities and people benefiting from electricity rather than merely measuring power generation.
Tegbe said every electrification project should be viewed as an investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, businesses and overall economic development. He added that the agency remains a critical link between national power policies and grassroots development.The minister charged the board to uphold transparency, accountability and innovation while strengthening partnerships with development agencies and private sector stakeholders to improve electricity access nationwide.
REA Managing Director Abba Aliyu also reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to extending electricity to underserved and unserved communities through rural and off-grid electrification initiatives.
The inauguration officially marks the beginning of the new board’s tenure, with Fayose expected to provide strategic oversight and direction for the agency’s operations.