Nairobi, Kenya — Abba Aliyu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, has called for a major shift in Africa’s energy transition strategy, stressing that long-term success will depend on building local industrial capacity rather than relying solely on project financing.
Speaking on Day 2 of the Energy Access Investment Forum 2026 in Nairobi, Aliyu said the continent must move from simply funding energy access projects to developing sustainable ecosystems that create jobs, strengthen manufacturing, and build technical expertise.
He explained that the agency’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme in Nigeria is designed to go beyond electrification by generating predictable demand for locally produced renewable energy components. This, he noted, is intended to support domestic manufacturers and strengthen the country’s clean energy supply chain.
Aliyu also highlighted the importance of structured offtake agreements, which he said would give local manufacturers the confidence to invest in production capacity by ensuring a stable and predictable market.
According to him, the agency is also pushing policies that encourage the use of locally assembled solar solutions, describing localisation as a necessary step for building a sustainable energy future.
He referenced countries such as Ethiopia and India as examples where coordinated policy frameworks, demand aggregation, and skills development have helped strengthen domestic renewable energy industries.
Aliyu concluded that the global energy conversation is shifting from financing isolated infrastructure projects to financing entire ecosystems — a transition he said is critical for building both energy access and long-term industrial capability across Africa.