The Federal Government of Nigeria has committed $800 million to enhance the country’s power infrastructure under the Presidential Power Initiative, according to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu. This announcement was made during a facility tour at TBEA Southern Power Transmission and Distribution Industry in Beijing, China, as the Minister attended the China-Africa Cooperation Summit.
The funding, split evenly between two major projects, will focus on constructing power substations and distribution lines. Lot 2, with $400 million allocated, covers the franchise areas of Benin, Port Harcourt, and Enugu Distribution Companies (DISCOs). The same amount is earmarked for Lot 3, which includes Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, and Kano DISCOs.
Despite a recent peak in power generation at 5,170 megawatts, Adelabu lamented that 1,400 megawatts had to be cut due to DISCOs’ inability to handle the supply. He expressed concern over this shortfall, especially as the government aims to increase generation to 6,000 megawatts by the end of the year.
The Minister emphasized the administration’s commitment to working with global organizations like TBEA to achieve President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision for the power sector. This includes strengthening Nigeria’s transmission and distribution networks and expanding the renewable energy segment. Adelabu highlighted the outdated and fragile infrastructure as a major obstacle, leading many industries to rely on self-generated power due to the unreliability of the national grid.
Reflecting on past efforts, Adelabu noted that while it took Nigeria over 35 years to double its power generation from 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts, the current administration has managed to add 1,000 megawatts within its first year, bringing the total to 5,170 megawatts. The government’s ambitious plan includes reaching 6,000 megawatts by year-end and expanding to 30 gigawatts by 2030, with 30% of that from renewable sources.
The Minister also spoke about plans to construct new Western and Eastern super grids, necessary to support the growing demand and stabilize the national grid. He confirmed that President Tinubu fully backs this initiative, which will enhance the transmission network’s capacity and flexibility.
Hanjie, a representative from TBEA, praised the recent improvements in Nigeria’s power sector, noting the increased generation and transmission capabilities. He reiterated TBEA’s readiness to partner with the Nigerian government in achieving its power sector goals, particularly the targets of 6 gigawatts by December 2024 and 30 gigawatts by 2030.
