Nigeria’s Honorable Minister of State for Power visits the Jabi Lake Mall Solar Hybrid project
Nigeria’s Honorable Minister of State for Power – Goddy Jedy Agba – visited the Actis investee company, Jabi Lake Mall’s Solar Hybrid project in Abuja.
Actis alongside developer – CrossBoundary Energy (“CBE”) commissioned the 609kWp solar photovoltaic (“PV”) project a year ago. This is the first fully operational solar hybrid project for a Nigerian mall.
There are 1,848 solar PV modules located on the roof of the mall which generates approximately 850 MWh per year of electricity. Besides cutting energy costs, the solar facility will cut Jabi Lake Mall’s reliance on polluting diesel generators and will reduce carbon emissions by over 13,000 tonnes in line with the Paris agreement and sustainable development goals. This world-class clean energy project is an excellent example of private sector investments (Actis) in sustainable buildings and renewable energy in Nigeria.
Jabi Lake Mall is located next to Jabi Lake in Abuja. The mall building adopted a “green-by-design” approach, guided by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainability principles to accommodate solar renewable energy. UK company Actis plans to roll out similar projects across their real estate portfolio in Africa over the next decade.
Goddy Jedy Agba Honorable Minister of State for Power, says, “The solar hybrid project at Jabi Lake Mall is another example of Nigeria’s pioneering role in clean energy transition and also highlights the critical role Nigeria is already playing in the UK COP26 Energy Transition Council (ETC).”
Damilola Ogunbiyi, United Nations Special Representative of Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, says, “this represents a good example of UK private sector companies like Actis implementing sustainable clean energy transition projects at scale across the African continent, with a particular focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UK’s COP26 Energy Transition Campaign.”
Mr Ben Llewelyn-Jones, Deputy British High Commissioner said “The solar installation at Jabi Lake Mall represents a pioneering initiative by Actis, a UK managed investment firm, to commit to the pressing sustainable initiatives in Africa while adhering to sound economic principles. It serves as a case study for others to emulate. I am delighted that Nigeria is a prominent member of the COP26 Energy Transition Council, which seeks to accelerate the transition to clean power as part of a green economic recovery, through enhanced cooperation.
Tolu Sokenu, Principal in Actis’ Real Estate Team, says, “We are very proud to be Nigeria’s first mall powered with solar energy. As pioneers in Sub-Saharan Africa’s commercial real estate space, we wanted to show that incorporating environmental sustainability energy efficient buildings across the continent is achievable. It supports our mission to reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment. It will also heavily reduce our reliance on grid and diesel while providing energy savings for the mall. The solar implementation at Jabi Lake Mall is one example of Actis’ commitment to sustainable economic development in Nigeria, alongside our investments in Heritage Place, the first LEED certified building in the country, Azura-Edo power plant, providing reliable and clean power, and Rack Centre Ltd, supporting inclusive growth through digital technology”.
”James Shoetan, Head of Business Development for CrossBoundary Energy, says, “Now that we’ve commissioned this solar plant, CBE is providing Jabi Lake Mall with cleaner, cheaper, reliable power and with no upfront cost or technical risk. It’s fantastic to work with early adopters like Actis, who can inspire like-minded businesses in the region to make the switch to solar.“