Dr Sanusi Mohammed Ohiare was appointed in 2019 as an executive director of the nation’s rural electrification agency under the Federal Ministry of Power. He became one of the youngest executives appointed at any Federal Ministry, Department and Agency of the government under President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) ruling party. Dr Sanusi has never stopped making strides since his appointment in 2019 and his emergence as Abuja’s Most Outstanding Under 50 Public Servant for Youth Development 2021 did not come as a surprise too
Dr. Sanusi Ohiare was appointed as the Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund under the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria, by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, in line with the government’s commitment to scale up electricity access to the rural communities across Nigeria. The appointment came just a month after he turned 32, making him the youngest appointee of the president at the time, and was well hailed and received by Nigerians. Dr. Sanusi Ohiare was born on the 6 th of March 1985 into the family of Senator Mohammed Ohiare, a reputed politician and statesman who has been a major contributor to Nigeria’s politics over the decades including the development of democratic processes in Kogi state and the National Assembly. Sanusi hails from Adavi local government area of Kogi sate but has spent his early years in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory where he was born. Dr Sanusi holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he graduated with a Second Class Honours, Upper Division (2.1) in 2006. He later attended the renowned Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom, where he obtained a Master of Science degree in Energy Studies, with Specialization in Energy Finance in 2011. Due to his age old desire and quest to transform rural electrification in Nigeria he decided to major his academic qualification in Rural Energy Development with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Rural EnergyDevelopment from the Institute for Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD), De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom.
one Africa’s youngest renewable energy expert
Dr Sanusi has worked in the Rural Electrification industry for over a decade within some of the top players and regulatory bodies including the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET), Sustainability, Policy and Innovative Development Research (Spider) Solutions, Federal Capital Territory Administration-Abuja and other private companies in various capacities. He has contributed to the literary community with several publications for peer-reviewed articles and a textbook chapter on rural electrification with bias to planning, technology options and financing for policy makers in Nigeria.
He was part of the presidential committee that reviewed the rural electrification strategy document for Nigeria in 2013, and also, part of the team that developed the Mini-grid regulations 2016 for strategic implementation of the policy framework.
As the first ever Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund, Nigeria, he has been known for not just starting the Fund and operationalizing it from scratch, but also contributing enormously to the power industry and various achievements have been recorded prior to and since his appointment in 2017. In 2017, just 5 months after his appointment, he operationalized the Rural Electrification Fund which was in comatose since 2005 when it was first established by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act. With the meager resources available in the fund, he judiciously administered the fund and piloted the first ever REF call, with cofounding from Private developers and deployed 12 Mini grid projects and 19,000 Solar Home Systems nationwide.
Dr Sanusi has committed himself to empowering the youths through financial empowerment and human capital development which is the idea behind his employment of mainly young people in his office. He has supported and inspired budding entrepreneurs in achieving their dreams. He serves on the board of various humanitarian non-profit, non-governmental organizations such as GVBC Foundation, Sanusi Ohiare Foundation, Mental Health Initiative and supports Community Development/Volunteer services targeted at youth development in Nigeria. His contributions have been applauded by well meaning groups and organizations and bestowed awards on him such as; The Youth Leader of the Year (2019/2020) by African Power, Energy and Water (Industry Awards, Chieftaincy Award of Osietehueyi of Adavi (Harbinger of Light) by Asema of Adavi in Kogi State, Akiliwo Ejeh Olamaboro (Strength of the king) by Ejeh of Olamaboro Kogi State, Ambassador of Nigeria Youth on Youth Development by National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and so many others. Dr Sanusi also freely shares his knowledge and experiences at various speaking events such as conferences, workshops, seminars, webinars and stakeholders’ meetings on rural energy development (reform, strategy, policy and data).
He is married to Mrs. Rihanat Amin and they are blessed with children.