By ‘Yanju Uwala

Nigerian President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has assured the technical contractor handling the Presidential Power Initiative (IPI), Siemens Energy, of the government’s full support towards improving the country’s electricity supply and enhancing the livelihoods of its citizens.

Speaking at a meeting held in the State House, with a delegation from the Siemens Energy, on Monday, President Tinubu, noted that the power sector remains central to stimulating the economy, particularly in the industrial, educational, and healthcare sectors.

The delegation was led by the Managing Director of Middle East and Africa, Dietmar Siersdorfer.

According to the President, he said that, the completion of the phased power project will give Nigeria a place of pride on the continent by harnessing the latent potential in human and material resources across various sectors.

“There is no industrial growth or economic development without power. I believe that power is the most significant discovery of humanity in the last 1,000 years.

“I appreciate the partnership on the initiative. The progress of the project to date is notable, and we can feel it. But it is not where we want it to be.

“We appreciate the support and commitment of the German government and Siemens. The investment you are making and your commitment align with the future of this country.

“Our education, our health care and our transportation all depend on energy and without power, it is an impossible objective. We are taking it very seriously,’’ he added.

The President also directed the expansion of some major transformer substations from two to three phases to boost the country’s power supply.

“We are all inspired and happy. This is what we want to achieve on the continent. We want everyone to see the glory of our economic recovery and banishment of poverty,’’ he said.

The President assured the delegation that the government will continue to provide the needed resources for the power project.

In his own remarks, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, stated that the power sector had achieved many critical milestones, including the decentralisation and liberalisation of the sector.

He noted that the President signed the Electricity Act 2023, and a National Integrated Electricity Policy was developed after 24 years, attracting more than $2 2billiopn of fresh investments.

Adelabu, also noted that the policy had resulted in the activation of fifteen state electricity markets.

“Since the signing of the Accelerated Agreement at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023, an event you personally attended alongside the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the PPI has recorded notable milestones across its implementation phases.

“Under the Pilot phase (Phase Zero), we have achieved significant infrastructure upgrades and capacity enhancements that are already impacting grid stability and reliability across the country.

“Siemens Energy has successfully delivered and commissioned 10 units of 132/33kV mobile substations, three units of 75/100MVA transformers, and seven units of 60/66MVA transformers across key load centres nationwide, which have added 984mv of transmission capacity to the grid,’’ the minister stated.

He, also informed the President that in December 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved the commencement of the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for Phase One, Batch One of the PPI.

The minister stated that the scope encompasses the upgrade, installation, and commissioning of five key substations situated in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha.

“I am pleased to report that plans for civil works mobilisation across all five locations have been finalised, concurrent manufacturing of the required equipment is ongoing, and two of the five substations are targeted for completion by the end of 2026.

“As we consolidate the gains from the Pilot Phase and Phase One-First Batch, we are also preparing to advance to Phase One-Batch two, which has a scope for the construction of new substations and the upgrade of existing ones across key load centres nationwide. Collectively, Phase One -Batch Two of the PPI comprises a total of six (6) Brownfield and ten (10) Greenfield substations with a cumulative impact of 4,104MW”.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, stated that the completion of the PPI will enhance Nigeria’s ease of doing business, create more jobs for the youth, and reduce poverty.

The leader of the Siemens delegation, Siersdorfer, stated that two out of the five substations under construction are expected to be completed by December 2026.

He noted that a training centre was already under construction to ensure the training of local talents in electrical engineering, create more jobs, capture local content, and transfer technology.

“The PPI is not just a project but a platform for long-term development and prosperity,’’ he stated.

He informed the President that the PPI will transform Nigeria into a regional power hub, reflecting the depth of relations between Germany and Nigeria.

“Nigerian professionals will be engaged directly in the five project sites in Batch 1 for the site works, while thousands of jobs will be enabled in the local communities through purchased services, accommodation, and transportation, among others. These will further reflect the strength of our partnership and the viability of the roadmap we have built together,’’ Siersdorfer noted.

The German Ambassador’s representative, Johannes Lehne, assured President Tinubu of further support and collaboration with the German government.

Present at the meeting were, the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen.