Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc (OOPC), in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), ETIN Power Limited and Gbelebu Community, has commissioned a solar hybrid mini-grid to provide reliable and affordable electricity to households and businesses in Gbelebu, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The facility, comprising 61kWp of solar generation capacity, a 50kW inverter and 154kWh of battery storage, will initially provide electricity to 100 households and micro, small and medium enterprises.
The project is expected to reduce residents’ reliance on diesel and petrol generators, improve household welfare, and support the growth of local businesses.
The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, commissioned the mini-grid, represented by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa.
The project forms part of OOPC’s ?1.2 billion, three-year partnership with PIND, formalised in 2025 to support peacebuilding, youth employment, agricultural development, access to finance and renewable energy across the company’s host communities.
Funded under OOPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme, the project was delivered through an implementation framework agreed by OOPC, PIND, ETIN Power and Gbelebu Community in May 2026.
The framework covers a Power Purchase Agreement, Land Transfer Agreement, and Sustainability and Operations and Maintenance Framework.
OOPC provided the investment and served as the host partner, while PIND facilitated the project from concept development through community engagement, technical planning and implementation oversight. ETIN Power designed and installed the facility and will operate the system.
Speaking at the commissioning, Idahosa commended OOPC, PIND and ETIN Power for the initiative, describing it as an investment in the community’s livelihoods, economic opportunities and quality of life.
OOPC Managing Director, Dr Graham Hefer, 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.
PIND’s Programmes Director, Dr Effiong Essien, described the project as an example of how strategic partnerships could improve access to essential infrastructure in underserved communities.
‘Reliable electricity is more than infrastructure; it is an enabler of livelihoods, enterprise growth, and community resilience,’ Essien said.
He, however, stressed the importance of community ownership in ensuring the sustainability of the facility, urging residents to protect the infrastructure and use the electricity productively.
The Chief Executive Officer of ETIN Power Limited, Prof Yinka Omorogbe (SAN), reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing residents and businesses in Gbelebu with reliable and quality electricity.
A Community Power Committee has also been established, while local operators will receive training in customer engagement, system management and routine maintenance.
The commissioning marks the commencement of commercial electricity services in Gbelebu and is expected to provide a model for expanding renewable energy access to other underserved communities neighbouring OOPC’s operations.
PIND and OOPC said they would continue to support stakeholder engagement and monitor the project’s impact on household welfare, business productivity, employment and community resilience.