FG Unveils Tinubu Light Initiative to Provide Clean Energy to 1m MSMEs

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has unveiled the Tinubu Light Initiative, a presidency-backed renewable energy programme designed to provide affordable clean electricity to one million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across Nigeria.

The initiative, unveiled by the National Board for Technology Incubation during the National Showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 in Abuja, is also expected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs while supporting local manufacturing and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.

The programme is targeted at reducing the high cost of energy that continues to constrain businesses, particularly MSMEs that rely heavily on petrol and diesel generators amid persistent gaps in grid electricity supply.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NBTI, Mr Kazeem Raji, said the initiative was developed in response to the growing energy burden faced by Nigerian businesses.

Mr Raji said the Tinubu Light Initiative would deploy innovative financing models, strategic partnerships and renewable energy technologies to provide cleaner and more affordable electricity to MSMEs nationwide.

“The Tinubu Light Initiative seeks to change this narrative. Through innovative financing models, strategic partnerships, renewable energy technologies and nationwide implementation, this initiative will provide affordable clean energy solutions to one million Nigerian MSMEs,” he said.

According to him, lowering the energy costs of one million businesses would enable them to redirect resources towards expansion, investment and job creation, while strengthening the competitiveness of locally produced goods.

Mr Raji said the initiative would also go beyond electricity access by supporting the local assembly and production of renewable energy equipment, reducing carbon emissions and expanding access to digital financing, with particular opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.

“This initiative goes beyond electrification. It is an industrial policy. It is an employment strategy. It is a poverty reduction programme. It is a climate action initiative. It is a national productivity agenda,” he said.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of rising energy costs for Nigerian businesses, with many MSMEs increasingly dependent on self-generation to sustain operations. The cost of petrol and diesel used to power generators has become a significant component of operating expenses, limiting production capacity and putting pressure on jobs.

Mr Raji said the Tinubu Light Initiative was aligned with the Federal Government’s broader economic strategy of leveraging technology, innovation and entrepreneurship to boost domestic production and create sustainable employment.

At the event, he also highlighted the NextGen Innovation Challenge, which attracted thousands of applications from innovators across sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, manufacturing, education, fintech, climate technology and industrial engineering.

He said the challenge was increasingly becoming a platform for connecting Nigerian innovators with investors and supporting the transition of promising technologies from research and development to commercial applications.

Mr Raji disclosed that an innovator who participated in the inaugural 2025 edition secured a £1.5 million investment commitment, while agricultural technologies developed through the programme are being deployed in Kaduna, Bauchi and other states to improve productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.

He said the NBTI would continue to leverage its network of Technology Incubation Centres to identify innovators, provide mentorship, facilitate technology transfer and support the commercialisation of indigenous technologies.

Mr Raji further announced that the NextGen Innovation Challenge had secured the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, which would enable the programme to expand beyond Nigeria into a Commonwealth-wide initiative involving all 56 member countries.