Abuja, Nigeria – This week, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency built on its 27 years of support for Nigeria’s energy sector by funding three projects that will help to electrify dozens of rural communities and deliver critical gas resources to support economic activity and job growth.

“Nigeria is a dynamic market with many opportunities for cooperation between our private sectors,” said USTDA Acting Director Thomas R. Hardy.  “USTDA’s support for these energy projects will strengthen important business ties between our countries and deliver important results for the Nigerian people.”

USTDA committed funding for a feasibility study to help Xenergi Nigeria Ltd. expand and construct a natural gas gathering and processing plant that will substantially increase access to customers in the Niger Delta region.  The opportunity for U.S. firms to conduct the study will be posted on the U.S. Federal Business Opportunities website at www.fbo.gov.

USTDA also committed funding to help the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company provide electricity to underserved communities through the implementation of up to 1,370 solar-powered minigrids with energy storage systems. Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Institute will carry out the study. In addition, USTDA is funding a study to assist Havenhill Synergy Limited develop off-grid solar and storage minigrid sites in up to 110 Nigerian communities. That study will be completed by Colorado-based Odyssey Energy Solutions, Inc.

These activities all support Power Africa, a U.S. government-led initiative to increase electricity access across the continent, and Prosper Africa, a U.S. government initiative to substantially increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. USTDA has now funded more than 70 projects in Nigeria focused on energy, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare and agribusiness.