The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says its newly launched Light Up Niger Delta Series, a flagship initiative designed to transform communities across the region through solar-powered street lighting is achieving its objectives.
The project, which covers all nine Niger Delta states, aims to improve security, stimulate economic activity, and promote environmental sustainability. According to the Commission, the initiative represents a legacy project intended to deliver lasting impact.
According to the commission, a key focus is enhancing security by illuminating dark areas that previously served as hideouts for criminals. In communities such as Bodo, Biera, and Bera in Rivers State, residents have reported a marked reduction in nighttime crime since the installations began.
The programme is also driving economic revitalisation. Street vendors and shop owners in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and Trans Amadi, Rivers State, say their businesses now stay open longer, with profits rising by as much as 40 percent.
The Commission says the project is particularly targeted at communities without grid access, including Ayama in Bayelsa, Omerelu in Rivers, and Amangwo and Amawom in Ikwuano, Abia State, where residents had long depended on lanterns for light.
Officials describe the Light Up Niger Delta Series as a community-focused intervention designed to leave a measurable impact on both livelihoods and the environment.
