Access to reliable electricity remains a major challenge for many rural and underserved communities across the Niger Delta. For households and small businesses in off-grid communities, dependence on petrol and diesel generators often increases the cost of living and doing business, limits productive activities, and constrains opportunities for local economic growth.
On August 20, 2026, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc (OOPC), in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), ETIN Power Limited, and the Gbelebu Community, commissioned a 61-kWp solar hybrid mini-grid in Gbelebu Community, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The facility, which marks the commencement of commercial electricity services in the community, will initially provide clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to 100 households and businesses. The project represents the first major infrastructure intervention delivered under OOPC’s ₦1.2 billion, three-year partnership with PIND, which was formalized in 2025 to support sustainable development across Okomu’s host and neighboring communities.
Turning Partnership into Practical Development
The solar mini-grid was developed through a partnership that brings together corporate investment, development facilitation, technical expertise, and community participation.
Funded through OOPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility program, PIND facilitated the project from concept development through stakeholder and community engagement, technical planning, and implementation oversight. ETIN Power Limited designed and installed the system and will operate and maintain the facility, while the Gbelebu Community provided land and continues to play an important role in supporting the project’s long-term sustainability.
The facility comprises 61 kWp of solar generation capacity, a 50 kW inverter, and 154 kWh of battery energy storage. By providing an alternative to costly petrol and diesel generators, the mini-grid is expected to support households and enable local businesses to operate more efficiently.
The project was formally inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Edo State, His Excellency Monday Okpebholo, represented by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa. Speaking at the commissioning, the Deputy Governor commended the partnership between Okomu Oil, PIND, ETIN Power, and the Gbelebu Community, describing the intervention as an investment not only in electricity infrastructure but also in the livelihoods, economic opportunities, and quality of life of community members.
Dr. Graham Hefer, Managing Director of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, said the project reflects the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable and measurable benefits to its host communities. “Investing in energy infrastructure is an investment in the future of neighboring communities. This project demonstrates how corporate investment, technical expertise, and community ownership can come together to deliver meaningful and sustainable development.” Heifer said.
Reliable Energy for Livelihoods and Local Enterprise
For PIND, the Gbelebu mini-grid demonstrates how access to reliable energy can strengthen local economies and expand opportunities in underserved communities.
Speaking during the commissioning, PIND’s Programs Director, Dr. Effiong Essien, emphasized that the value of the infrastructure extends beyond the electricity it provides. “Reliable electricity is more than infrastructure; it is an enabler of livelihoods, enterprise growth, and community resilience.”
The project also incorporates measures to support local ownership and long-term operations. A Community Power Committee has been established, while local operators will receive training to support customer engagement, basic system management, and routine maintenance.
Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, SAN, Chief Executive Officer of ETIN Power Limited, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing residents and businesses in Gbelebu with a safe, reliable, and high-quality electricity service.
Building Sustainable Communities Through Strategic Partnerships
The commissioning of the Gbelebu solar mini-grid represents an important milestone in the broader partnership between Okomu Oil and PIND.
Under the three-year partnership, OOPC and PIND are working to support development across Okomu’s host and neighboring communities through interventions spanning access to energy, youth employment, agricultural development, access to finance, and peacebuilding.
The Gbelebu mini-grid is the first project to move from partnership commitment to commercial operation, demonstrating how coordinated investment and collaboration can translate into practical infrastructure and economic opportunities at the community level.
Through its Access to Energy (A2E) Project, PIND will continue to work with OOPC, ETIN Power, the Gbelebu Community, and other stakeholders to support the sustainability of the intervention and monitor its contribution to households, enterprise productivity, employment opportunities, and community resilience.
For Gbelebu, the arrival of reliable electricity represents more than a new source of power. It creates a foundation for households and businesses to reduce their dependence on generators, improve productivity, and explore new opportunities for economic growth.
And for PIND and its partners, the project provides a practical example of how strategic partnerships can bring together private sector investment, technical expertise, community participation, and development facilitation to address persistent challenges and create sustainable pathways for growth across the Niger Delta.
