Nigerians demand World Bank’s intervention over stalled Niger Delta rural energy projects

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google News Nigerians demand World Bank’s intervention over stalled Niger Delta rural energy projects Youth and environment organisations in Nigeria, UK, and the US have cried out to the World Bank to intervene to

Listen to this article Share Youth and environment organisations in Nigeria, UK, and the US have cried out to the World Bank to intervene to free a $94,000 fund expected to execute some renewable energy projects in some Nigeria’s rural areas.

The call also went to the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Shell Nigeria, Shell International, and other relevant stakeholders to engage with the leadership of All On, led by Caroline Eboumbou, Chief Executive Officer.

All On however reacted, telling BusinessDay that it had no contractual engagement with the non-governmental organisations.

The call is for All On to facilitate the prompt release of a performance based grant (PBG) to enable the youth and environment organization to continue its vital renewable energy project activities in the Niger Delta.

In a statement on October 12, 2026, YEAC Group of Organisations (YGOs) comprising the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), the YEAC Community Energy and Development (YEAC-CEAD) which is said to operate its mini-grid, and its international offices and funding partners known as YEAC-UK and YEAC-USA, raised concerns over alleged delays in the disbursement of a World Bank-funded electrification subsidy meant for the organisation.

YEAC group laid the blame squarely on the doorsteps of ‘Shell-founded impact investor, All On’s action slowing down electrification in Nigeria’, allegedly putting investor confidence at risk.

In the statement signed by heads of each of the three countries but issued by Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director, YEAC-Nigeria, said the subsidy in question was the Performance-Based Grant (PBG) under the World Bank-funded Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, implemented in Nigeria by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“We have become collateral damage. This grant approved under the DARES programme is ultimately earmarked for our grassroots solar development in Umuolu but has not reached its designated destination in YEAC’s account, over four months after it became due.

“This is, to our knowledge, due to what we understand to be a contractual dispute between All On, the energy impact investment company established by Shell, and NXT Grid, the solar developer contracted by YGOs to help deliver the project’s infrastructure in Umuolu.

“The continued delay and lack of transparency around its resolution is extremely worrying and is very damaging to YGOs’ renewable energy services to communities in the Niger Delta.”

According to the statement: “While REA cannot dictate to guarantee on grant application after disbursement, YGOs strongly believes that it should be of significant concern to REA and the World Bank that their disbursed grant has not reached the final beneficiary-YGOs to achieve its purpose of supporting the provision of energy access to underserved communities.”

In the joint statement, YGOs said that the PBG approved and paid under DARES to NXT Grid to support the YEAC’s Solar Mini-Grid in Umuolu Community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, has not yet been disbursed to YEAC since it was due in May.

The statement said YGOs engaged NXT Grid as its contracting partner to construct and install the Umuolu Solar Mini-Grid, which was officially commissioned on August 12, 2024. YGOs has since awaited the release of the PBG to sustain operations and expand energy access.

“YGOs is now publicly raising the alarm over the non-release of the sum of $94,400 approved under DARES through NXT Grid for its clean energy projects in the Niger Delta. According to information provided to YGOs, the funds, approved and received on YGOs’ behalf by NXT Grid Nigeria Ltd into its Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account for onward disbursement to YEAC, are currently inaccessible due to a dispute between All On and NXT Grid, one of its investees.”

Fyneface said Umuolu is the first village in the area to gain access to clean energy and forms part of YGOs’ mission and other initiatives to combat pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining and environmental pollution in the Niger Delta. It was one of the first three projects allocated DARES funding in Nigeria.

He said NxT Grid had earlier on 8, 2026, issued a statement titled: “NXT Grid First Developer to Complete the Full DARES Performance-Based Grant Cycle, Securing Milestone One Disbursement for Three Mini-Grids” including that of YEAC. He said YGOs was informed by NXT Grid that its GTB account, which reportedly holds the funds due YEAC, had been frozen. “YGOs was further told that this restriction was allegedly connected to the dispute between All On and NXT Grid.”

Helena Farstad, YEAC-UK’s Country Director, on behalf of the group, was said to have contacted the leadership of All On to seek clarification and to explain the impact of their actions on ground in Nigeria. “Notifications have also been sent to the REA and the World Bank, informing them about this issue and seeking their support.

“In the absence of a timely resolution, the situation continues to cause significant damage to YGOs and its projects and risks affecting future international investment in the renewable energy sector in Nigeria.

“This grant was meant to power livelihoods, create jobs and provide clean energy alternatives to pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft and artisanal refining in the Niger Delta. Restricting it, regardless of the underlying reasons, undermines, in our view, the objectives of the World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria,” said Ms. Helena Farstad, Director, YEAC-UK. “It also puts existing and future international investment at risk.”

Contributing to the statement from the United States, Cornelius J.S. Dumerenee, Director, YEAC-USA, was said to have expressed deep concern over the situation, noting that the prolonged non-disbursement of a World Bank-approved grant for a community that has already demonstrated success with clean energy sends a worrying signal to the international donor community and the diaspora who are keen to support electrification and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

YGOs’ solar mini-grid work was said to have started on November 25, 2019, following the hostage-taking of Fyneface by artisanal refiners who allegedly claimed to have been displaced from their illegal refining activities by security operations.

“While in captivity, he conceived the initiative and used it to negotiate his freedom by promising to electrify their community without electricity (CWE) to power alternative livelihood opportunities and create employment as a means of contributing to the mitigation of pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining, environmental pollution and kidnapping in the Niger Delta.

“YGOs is not a party to the dispute between All On and NXT Grid nor do we have knowledge of the details. Yet we are suffering the consequences. As the saying goes, ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.’ This has to stop; our fund should be released and they can continue with their dispute thereafter” said Dr. Fyneface.

BusinessDay gathered that NxT Grid is the contractor representing the NGOs before All On; thus, the YGOs do not deal directly with All On or Shell.

Reacting, Toun Odetola, All On’s Communications and Partnerships Manager, in a mail, said: “All On is not involved in the project under reference. All On’s relationship with NxT Grid is limited to a separate contractual arrangement that establishes enforceable rights and obligations between the parties.”

Since its establishment in 2016, Odetola went on, All On has supported Nigerian companies to bridge the energy gap in un-served, under-served and off-grid communities.

“It has invested more than $51 million in over 50 projects that have delivered clean energy to almost 2 million people across 236 communities in different parts of the country, especially the Niger Delta. “We remain committed to our mission of expanding access to energy to underserved communities across Nigeria.”

While the blame game and shuffling goes on, the once hopeful off-grid communities in the Niger Delta who were targets of the World Bank-subsidized project may continue to live in worry and anxiety of darkness.