President Tinubu Appoints Abba Aliyu as New Rural Electrification Agency MD
In a strategic move to revamp Nigeria’s rural power sector, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abba Aliyu as the new Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Aliyu’s appointment, which takes effect from January 23, follows the indefinite suspension of the agency’s former MD, Salihijo Ahmad, over an alleged N1.2 billion fraud scandal. Initially serving as the acting MD, Aliyu has now been officially confirmed to lead the agency.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the appointment in a statement on Friday, highlighting Aliyu’s wealth of experience in the energy sector.
“With over 20 years of expertise in energy and organizational development, Aliyu has held key leadership roles in both the private and public sectors,” the statement read. “He has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s on-grid and off-grid power sectors, as well as the water resources and transportation industries.”
Before his new role, Aliyu served as Head of the Project Management Unit at the Nigeria Electrification Project and held executive positions at Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET), where he played a vital role in corporate services, project management, and research.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that Aliyu’s leadership will strengthen the REA’s mission of delivering reliable electricity to rural communities, aligning with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for sustainable energy and power development.
