Abstract

More than 43% of the Nigerian population, especially in the peri-urban and rural areas, lacks access to sustainable energy, leading to poor socioeconomic development in Nigerian communities. To address these issues, the government has proposed many policies to support the adoption of microgrid (MG) systems with the Nigerian Mini-grid Regulations 2023 specifically proposed to encourage MG adoption.

This research was carried out to develop a comprehensive and adaptable framework for community engagement in the adoption and sustainability of Community-Based Hybrid Microgrid Systems (CB-HMS) projects in Nigerian communities without sustainable access to electricity in Nigeria using a case study of three communities (Federal Housing Estate, Ajilosun and Ijigbo) in Ado-Ekiti, southwestern Nigeria. The framework provides systematic guidelines and tools for communities, project developers, and policymakers to effectively plan, design, implement, and manage CB-HMS projects.

The research employed a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques involving transect mapping of 30 energy systems, questionnaire surveys (n = 219) of households and businesses, 9 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group discussions with identified stakeholders in the case study region.
Research findings showed that 6 key factors such as poor electrical infrastructure, insufficient electricity allocation from Nigerian electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and high electricity tariff costs were impacting the supply of electricity from the main grid, necessitating the need for an alternative energy system. Also, 6 key factors were identified such as cost, knowledge and ease of operation and maintenance of system were considered important when deciding on the choice of alternative energy system. The capital intensiveness, land ownership dispute and socio-cultural beliefs were identified as some of the 12 key barriers hindering community engagement in the implementation of the CB-HMS project while factors such as the need for energy access, sense of ownership and policies such as Nigerian Mini-grid Regulations 2023 and The Electricity Act 2023 were identified as some of the 11 key drivers facilitating community engagement in the CB-HMS project.
10 key strategies and measures such as effective preliminary community survey, stakeholders’ engagement plans and suitable community-based business models were key themes identified in the framework developed for effective community engagement in the adoption and sustainability of the CB-HMS project in Nigerian communities in this research.

The developed framework identified socio-economic impacts, financial and environmental sustainability of the project as potential outcomes of community engagements in the CB-HMS project.

This framework was validated using questionnaire (n=22) survey of end-users in another community (Eyin-Ogbe) in Ondo state with similar profile with the study area and experts in energy industries in Nigeria. The mean results of the feedback from the end-users (4.33) and experts (4.08) on the 5-point Likert scale shows the general acceptability, reliability and transferability of the developed framework to facilitate community engagement in the adoption and sustainability of the CB-HMS project in Nigerian communities.