Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc (OOPC), the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), ETIN Power Limited and the Gbelebu Community have commissioned a solar hybrid mini grid to provide reliable and affordable electricity to households and businesses in Gbelebu, Edo State.
The 61-kWp mini-grid, commissioned on August 20, will initially provide electricity to 100 households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Gbelebu, Ovia South-West Local Government Area.
The facility comprises 61 kWp of solar generation capacity, a 50-kW inverter and 154 kWh of battery storage.
The project is expected to reduce residents’ reliance on diesel and petrol generators, improve household welfare and support the growth of local businesses.
The facility was inaugurated by Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, who was represented by Dennis Idahosa, his deputy.
Idahosa commended Okomu Oil, PIND and ETIN Power for the initiative, describing it as an investment not only in electricity but also in the livelihoods, economic opportunities and quality of life of residents.
The project is part of OOPC’s three-year partnership with PIND, valued at N1.2 billion and formalised in 2025.
The wider partnership covers peacebuilding, youth employment, agricultural development, access to finance and renewable energy across OOPC’s host communities in Edo.
Under the implementation framework formalised by OOPC, PIND, ETIN Power and Gbelebu community in May 2026, OOPC provided the investment and served as the host partner.
PIND facilitated the project from concept development through community engagement, technical planning and implementation oversight, while ETIN Power designed and installed the system and will operate it.
Graham Hefer, managing director of Okomu Oil Palm Company, said the project demonstrated the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable benefits to its host communities.
“Investing in energy infrastructure is an investment in the future of neighbouring communities. This project demonstrates how corporate investment, technical expertise, and community ownership can come together to deliver meaningful and sustainable development,” he said.
Effiong Essien, PIND’s programmes director, described the project as an example of how strategic partnerships can improve access to electricity in underserved communities.
Essien said reliable electricity could support livelihoods, enterprise growth and community resilience, but stressed that community ownership would be critical to the project’s sustainability.
“This facility is now under Gbelebu’s collective watch, and protecting it, using the electricity productively, and supporting its proper operation will be essential to its optimal utility and long-term sustainability,” he said.
Yinka Omorogbe, chief executive officer of ETIN Power, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing residents and businesses in Gbelebu with safe, reliable and high-quality electricity.
The project also includes measures to support long-term community ownership and sustainability.
A Community Power Committee has been established, while local operators will receive training to support customer engagement, system management and routine maintenance.
The commissioning marks the start of commercial electricity services in Gbelebu and could provide a model for extending renewable-energy access to other underserved communities around OOPC’s operations.
PIND and OOPC said they would continue to support stakeholder engagement and monitor the mini-grid’s impact on household welfare, business productivity, employment and community resilience.
