Connecting the Dots with Emeka Okpukpara

Nicholas Coleman, Programme Director, Economic Growth and Infrastructure at Tetra Tech , joins Connectingthe Dots to discuss the relationship between infrastructure and economic growth. Drawing on years of experience working with governments and development partners, he explores why infrastructure alone is not enough, and why institutions, incentives, and execution are just as important to deliver...

The conversation around climate action oftenfocuses on technology and policy. But how are these solutions funded? Dr. Geoffrey Omedo joins us to explore the growingrole of climate finance in Nigeria’s energy future

The technological aspect of the energy transition is typically the first thing that comes to mind.   However, what follows the development of those projects?  How do you manage teams, address challenges, keep them operating, maintain equipment, and provide reliable power every day?  In this episode, Hasana Bello Aliyu shares what operations really looks like on the ground and why success in the en...

In Nigeria, every rainy season precedes the same confusion: If water is necessary for our dams, why do the lights still go out whenit rains? Engineer Lamu Audu explains in this episode howhydropower actually contributes to Nigeria's electrical system. This is astraightforward but crucial discussion about what truly keeps the lights on, from dry season shortages to old infrastructure, grid limi...

It’s a national consensus that Nigeria needs reliable power, and for many people, distributed renewable energy feels like the obvious answer. Solar mini-grids, hybrid systems, rooftop solar. The technology is there and the need is huge. So why does financing still feel like the hardest part? In this episode, Dr. Segun Solomon Adaju breaks down what really makes a renewable energy project bankable....

The Kaduna Footprint. Customers in Nigeria's power sector don't trust the bills, utilities don't trust collections, and the grid isn't reliable. Engr. Umar stirs the Kaduna DisCo in the middle of this storm and he breaks down how it all works in this episode. From turning around Kano DisCo to betting on battery and solar systems to rethinking how utilities engage with customers. Th...

Nigeria’s electricity market is full of contradictions. A system designed for cost-reflective tariffs is operating in a reality where that’s politically difficult. Utilities are expected to deliver while struggling to stay financially viable. Customers have lost trust and are finding ways around the grid. In this episode, Dr. Yusuf Ali (Vice Chairman, NERC) walks us through what it means to regula...

March may be winding down… but we’re still celebrating women building the future. In this episode, Omosede Imohe shares her journey from global finance into Nigeria’s power sector, where she’s helping rethink how electricity is delivered. Through interconnected mini-grids and hybrid systems, her work challenges a long-standing assumption: that the grid and distributed energy must compete. What if...

There are Nigerian communities where people have never had electricity. Ever. No lights after sunset, no refrigerators, kids studying under kerosene lamps, businesses that close when the sun goes down. Engr. Abba Aliyu, MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) , runs the institution trying to reach them. We discuss what people get wrong about delivering power through government, how REA is...

Africa is using less than 1% of its wind energy potential. Not because the wind isn’t there, but because the system isn’t ready. In this episode of Connecting the Dots , Wangari Muchiri of the Global Wind Energy Council explains why wind energy has remained Africa’s quiet renewable, even as solar takes centre stage. We talk about stalled projects, policy bottlenecks, investor hesitation, and what...

Nigeria calls gas its " transition fuel "—Africa's largest reserves, a declared "Decade of Gas," promises of industrial growth and reliable power. Yet gas flaring continues, power plants lack supply, and industries run on diesel. Adaora Ugwu , Head of Investment Management at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) at the Nigerian Midstream and...

Most countries don't fail because they lack resources or ideas, but because they adopt development models designed for somewhere else. Barr. Olajumoke has worked across Europe and Africa in legal chambers, boardrooms, and state-owned enterprises. She believes electricity isn't just a sector, but a signal of state capability and a platform for development. In this episode, Emeka Okpukpara discusses...

The power business in Nigeria has a scapegoat who get the blame for everything—the Distribution companies (DisCo's). Transcorp took over the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in 2023 following a debt default and a threat of TCN disconnection. Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye was handed the reins to fix the business, restore trust, and prepare for a deregulated market as the MD/CEO. But transf...

Erabor Okogun , Director and Head of Energy Infrastructure, Africa Deals Advisory at KPMG, has spent two decades structuring renewable projects and navigating Nigeria's regulatory maze. We discuss why solar IPPs struggle to move from paper to power, what's actually working in mini-grids, how hybrid solutions can stabilise the system, what makes renewable projects bankable in Nigeria, and the polic...

Africa's mobile revolution is powered by diesel, which is expensive, unreliable, and limits rural expansion. Lande Abudu, GSMA's Senior Energy Specialist for Sub-Saharan Africa, explains how solar towers, hybrid systems, and smarter financing can cut costs and expand connectivity. We discuss the regulatory alignment needed between telecoms and energy, and how clean power for mobile networks unlock...

Suleiman Babamanu , Nigeria Program Director at the Rocky Mountain Institute and former lead of Solar Power Naija, has spent over a decade within Nigeria's clean energy transition. In this conversation, he breaks down why legacy approaches keep failing and outlines a technology-enabled, customer-centric alternative: smart metering and data transparency, distributed renewables as an alternative to...

In this episode of Connecting the Dots, we dive into Nigeria’s electrification challenges in real time, what progress has been made, what bottlenecks persist, and what practical solutions are emerging to scale access. Anita Otubu unpacks how results-based financing is changing the economics of mini-grids and solar deployment, and why de-risking investment remains essential for private sector parti...

In this episode of Connecting the Dots, we sit down with  David Arinze  renewable energy expert, UNDP Advisor, Yale FDCE Scholar, and Lead of the Renewable Energy Thematic Working Group to unpack the dynamics of international funding in Nigeria’s off-grid market, the risks of dependency, and what it will take to transition from donor-driven growth to a sustainable, locally anchored clean energy fu...

In this episode, we’re joined by Ije Ikoku Okeke, Managing Director for Catalytic Climate Capital at Rocky Mountain Institute. With deep experience across finance, power distribution, and investment advisory, Ije explains how money, policy, and partnerships intersect. We explore how to move beyond pilots, design financing that works for Africa, and ensure that the transition isn’t just green, but...

Global efforts to increase renewable energy capacity by 2030 and phase out fossil fuels have created an urgency to rethink energy transition investment frameworks through a systemic lens. In this episode of Connecting the Dots, Dr. Jason J, Director of MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, joins us to discuss: How systemic investing can accelerate Africa’s just energy transition Insights from En-RO...

Africa’s pursuit of universal energy access has birthed several electrification initiatives. In Nigeria, one of the most impactful has been the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP), a nationally led effort that has expanded off-grid access to millions and laid the groundwork for scalable, inclusive energy solutions. Now, building on NEP’s success, the continent is turning to even more ambitious...

This episode of Connecting the Dots spotlights a practical solution to one of Nigeria’s most persistent challenges: electricity access in underserved communities. Our guest, Emmanuel Terwase, isn’t just raising awareness, he’s driving change. As the founder of Boost Power, a clean energy start-up, he’s using solar microgrids to power rural markets, reduce operating costs, and enable small business...

Connecting the Dots is renewed for a fourth season! This season kicks-off with a spotlight on the African Energy Forum (AEF). Hosted by EnergyNet, the African Energy Forum (AEF) has built a reputation as a catalytic forum that initiates, mobilises, and encourages meaningful business partnerships and collaborations. It has birthed some of the impactful projects we see in Africa today. Despite these...

On this episode of ‘WATTS with the Grid? we hear from women in the private sector who have invested or attempted to invest in the global energy space. They address the sector’s opportunities and challenges through an investor lens and also explore Nigeria's current Power sector landscape from that perspective. Join Catherine Ashenuga-Farrer (CEO Trennco Towers), Ugwem Eneyo (Ceo & Founder of S...

On this episode of WATTS with the Grid, we are joined by Dolapo Kukoyi (Managing Partner, Detail Solicitors) and Habiba Ali (Managing Director/CEO, Sosai Renewable Energies Company). Fresh from COP 29 in Azerbaijan, they share their perspectives on key discussions that featured at the event, such as climate finance, energy access, and the importance of positioning Nigeria to leverage global opport...