The African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed $1.2 million to fund a feasibility study for Nigeria’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a project designed to strengthen the national power grid and support the country’s shift to cleaner energy sources.
The grant, provided through AfDB’s Energy Transition Catalyst Programme, was announced during the inaugural workshop for the study held on Wednesday in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The workshop was jointly hosted by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the AfDB.
Dr. Abdul Kamra, Director-General of AfDB’s Nigeria Country Department, stated that the study will examine how battery storage can stabilise Nigeria’s power supply, better integrate renewable energy, and expand electricity access for millions of Nigerians who currently lack reliable power.
“The African Development Bank (AFDB) says it has committed a 1.2 million dollar grant to support the feasibility study of the Nigeria Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The grant is under AfDB’s Energy Transition Catalyst Programme. Dr Abdul Kamra, Director-General, Nigeria Country Department, (AFDB) made this known at the Inaugural Workshop of the BESS Feasibility Study in Abuja on Wednesday,” the NAN report read.
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Kamra noted that the study will evaluate grid integration options, identify business and regulatory models that can attract private investment, and build the technical capacity required for long-term ownership and sustainability of energy storage systems.
He highlighted that battery storage plays a vital role in today’s power systems by offering solutions such as frequency stabilisation, reserve capacity, and peak load management.
However, he stressed that technology alone is not sufficient. “There is a need for complementary regulatory policies and an enabling investment environment to ensure sustainable deployment,” he said.
Kamra also stated that the AfDB, through its $1 billion Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Programme, remains a committed partner in Nigeria’s energy transition.
He pointed out that the initiative is in line with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, the SE4ALL Action Agenda, and the Renewable Energy Master Plan, helping to strengthen policy consistency across the energy sector.
He urged all stakeholders to ensure that the feasibility study delivers actionable outcomes that align with Nigeria’s specific needs and realities.
Representing the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, at the event, Ben Ayangeor called the study a strategic step towards future-proofing Nigeria’s power infrastructure as renewable energy sources like solar and wind continue to grow.
He explained that battery energy storage would allow excess electricity generated during low demand periods to be stored and used during peak times, thereby improving grid reliability and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-based peaking plants.
Also speaking at the workshop, the Managing Director of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, represented by Olugbenga Ajiboye, said the timing of the study is right, as energy storage systems could help address longstanding issues such as frequency fluctuations, peak load challenges, and voltage instability, factors that have consistently weakened power supply across the country.
The BESS feasibility study forms part of AfDB’s wider Mission 300 programme, which aims to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.
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