Bisanti is a landlocked community with GPS Coordinates 9.19oN, 6.12oE located in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State Nigeria.
The Community is approximately one hour away from the heart of Minna (off Maraya junction, Minna/Bida Road) and about 20 minutes away from Bida.
Bisanti has agriculture and petty commercial activities as its prevailing economic drivers.
The community has a total estimated population density of about 200 houses.
The community is serviced by a school, health centre, corps members abode, a security post (local vigilantes) and mosques as social amenities while lacking portable telecom access.
The predominant means of transportation within the community is by foot or motorbikes.
Quite a handful of the inhabitants have access to electricity through petrol-powered generators while the rest are at the mercy of kerosene lamps, candle lamps, firewood etc.
The average cost of petrol in Bisanti is N150.00 (72% costlier than open market rate) while the average cost of kerosene is N200 (300% costlier than open market rate).
The major challenge facing economic development in the community is the lack of electricity access for residential and commercial activities most importantly for the processing of agro-produces before taking them to the market.
In July 2015, GVE Projects Ltd in collaboration with the Bank of Industry Nigeria (BOI)/ United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers (IEEE) announced the implementation of a 24kW PV solar based mini-grid pilot project.
The project was aimed at field-testing the technical and commercial viability of adopting renewable energy for off-grid rural electrification.
The project created 60 direct and indirect jobs during the course of implementation while creating an estimated N2.75million ($13,000.00) in wealth in the beneficiary community through construction, survey, labour and other related expenditures.
The project is estimated to offsets about 365.2 metric tons of CO2 annually in the community thereby preserving the natural environment while enhancing the living standards of the inhabitants.
This project has led to the transfer of knowledge by training of locals to oversee the daily operation of the site post-implementation.
This has led to the sustainability of the project.
The project currently serves 200 Households (i.e. 1,600people (@ 8 persons per house).
The project with a total cost of $250,000 was financed 90% by Bank of Industry Nigeria through equity and debt financing and a 10% Grant support from the IEEE.
The initiative has a very sound financial model based on a pay-as-you-go platform and is very reliable yet extremely affordable to the low income rural dwellers.
The project was completed within 3 months.
On the 15th of September 2016, the people of Bisanti celebrated a rare feat which is enviable to even the most developed cities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The community marked one year of uninterrupted power supply.
The history making event coincided with the 2016 Muslim Eid cerebration which has left the community agog for over a week now.
Testament to the immeasurable benefits resulting from the project, the community has speedily transformed into a socio-economic nerve centre of not just Katcha Local government but to the entire Niger state.
Several businesses have since sprouted in the hitherto isolated village.
Other project impacts include:
- 22 Nos Street lighting points along the main street of Bisanti Community
- Enhanced security at night
- Extended business operating hours
- Children gather around the street lighting points to study/ play at night.
- 50% reduction in Energy related expenditure.
- 80% reduction in malaria cases.
- The impacts an additional 300 people indirectly through the street lighting component.
