Dr. Nabilah Sani Mohammed Facilitates REA Staff Training on Odyssey Portal for DARES PBG Implementation

As part of efforts to strengthen internal capacity within the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr. Nabilah Sani Mohammed, Co-Founder of Al-Futtaim Nigeria Limited, facilitated a technical training session for newly engaged REA staff on July 28, 2025. The session focused specifically on navigating and utilizing the Odyssey platform—a digital tool central to the application, monitoring, and reporting process for the DARES Performance-Based Grant (PBG) initiative.

Held in a hands-on, interactive format, the training introduced participants to key functionalities of the Odyssey portal, including project application workflows, milestone tracking, document uploads, site mapping, and real-time project performance monitoring. Dr. Nabilah, drawing on her extensive experience with mini-grid deployment and her company’s participation in the DARES programme, offered practical guidance and real-life examples to ensure participants gained a grounded understanding of the portal’s role in grant implementation.

The session also highlighted common errors developers face during application and monitoring phases, and how REA staff can effectively support compliance and timely disbursement by leveraging the platform's tools. The training was well received by participants, who described it as timely, insightful, and critical to their onboarding process.

This initiative underscores REA’s commitment to equipping its workforce with the digital tools and sector knowledge required to manage Nigeria’s expanding off-grid energy landscape. It also reflects the power of collaboration between developers and regulators in achieving the shared goal of energy access for all.