Nigeria, Jan. 29 -- In the small village of Egororebet, just outside Jos, a solar-powered mini-grid hums at dusk. But instead of glowing homes and bustling businesses, the panels cast shadows over empty wires. The batteries died years ago. Families still burn kerosene lamps. The community's dream of electricity? A flicker, then darkness.

This scene repeats across Nigeria, where dozens of government and donor-funded mini-grids - decentralised energy systems meant to power rural communities - are operating far below capacity or lying abandoned. The issue isn't just a lack of investment or sunshine. It's a web of systemic failures: shoddy construction by contractors, neglected maintenance, and a lack of accountability that leaves communitie...