- The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says the national power grid capacity will be increased by 150MW by year-end
- The statement differs from the minister’s previous assurance of 6,000 megawatts increment by year-end
- The minister said the government will rehabilitate 14 existing substations and install 23 new ones
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says Nigeria’s power grid will gain an additional 150 megawatts (MW) capacity by the end of 2024.
Adelabu disclosed this while speaking with journalists after a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, December 11.
The minister highlighted the progress made under the Siemens-led Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), stating that the additional 150MW of power capacity to the national grid is a near completion of the initiative’s pilot phase.
He said, “We have completed about 80 per cent of the pilot stage, which includes the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 power mobile substations.
“These efforts have already added 750 megawatts to our grid capacity, and by year-end, an additional 150 megawatts will be realised upon full completion of the pilot phase.”
The statement differs from the minister’s earlier projection
The minister’s statement differs from his earlier projection that Nigeria will achieve 6,000 megawatts (MW) of power by year-end.
He stated that the feat will be achieved through a combination of hydroelectric and gas-fired power plants and targets to generate, transmit, and distribute 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, 30 per cent of which will be renewable energy.
FG to rehabilitate 14 existing substations and install 23 new ones
The Power Minister noted that the national power grid is ageing and fragile, which may be one of the reasons for its incessant collapse.
He said this necessitated the Siemens project, adding that the next phase involves rehabilitating 14 existing substations and establishing 23 new substations across the country.
Adelabu also disclosed that the project is awaiting approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), after which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will finalise the financing arrangements.
He said, “We are transitioning to Phase One of the project, with the first batch of this phase already concluded in terms of commercial agreements.
“When Phase One is complete, Nigeria’s power grid will not remain the same. This project will redefine grid stability and efficiency across the country.”
Exploring other energy sources
The minister further stated that in addition to grid enhancements, the partnership with Germany is expanding into renewable energy sources, given Nigeria’s potential in solar, wind, and hydropower.
He said, “Germany has the technology, and we have the natural resources.”
Adelabu highlighted the underutilisation of Nigeria’s 300 dams for hydropower, stressing the importance of off-grid power systems in ensuring energy access for rural and underserved communities.
“Each of our 36 states and the FCT will have their own embedded generation plants, creating a distributed power model that shields them from national grid challenges.
“The focus is on expediting the implementation of our current agreements to achieve expanded energy access and grid stability for Nigerians,” Adelabu stated.
Power Minister, Adelabu, directs ‘immediate overhaul’ of national grid
Meanwhile, TheRadar reported that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, directed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and other relevant agencies to immediately implement the recommendations of a committee tasked with addressing the frequent collapses of Nigeria’s national power grid.
In a statement released on Thursday, November 7, by Bolaji Tunji, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communications, Adelabu said the government would take swift action to tackle the underlying issues plaguing the grid.
