- Egypt expressed willingness to collaborate with Nigeria on energy access and best practices
- The Nigerian government reaffirmed its commitment to rural electrification through renewable energy
- Key investments secured for renewable energy projects, including $750 million from the World Bank
The Federal Government has revealed plans to learn from Egypt's success in power generation and transmission, which it considers a benchmark for the energy sector.
Additionally, the government reaffirmed its commitment to improving rural development by enhancing electricity access.
Nigeria, Egypt discuss energy cooperation
This was disclosed during a meeting in Abuja between the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad.
A statement issued by Adelabu's spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji, on Sunday, March 23 revealed that the discussion focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, particularly in renewable energy and rural electrification.
Adelabu praised Egypt's energy sector achievements, calling the country a role model for energy infrastructure development.
He expressed Nigeria’s interest in adopting Egypt’s strategies in energy generation, transmission, and distribution, noting that Egypt’s success had led to ongoing discussions with Siemens aimed at stabilising Nigeria's power sector.
"Egypt has made remarkable strides in energy transformation, and we are eager to collaborate and learn from your expertise. Our goal is to ensure reliable, stable, and affordable energy access for all Nigerians," Adelabu stated.
Nigeria focuses on renewable energy for rural electrification
The Minister also outlined Nigeria's efforts to bring power to remote rural areas through renewable energy solutions, pointing out the financial challenges of extending the national grid to these locations.
"Many rural areas cannot be connected to the grid due to economic constraints, but we cannot neglect them. Through our renewable energy programme, we are bridging this gap.
“We have secured significant investments, including $750m from the World Bank’s DARES project and an additional $190m from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to support this initiative," Adelabu explained.”
He emphasised Nigeria's rich renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, and reiterated the government's commitment to harnessing these resources for sustainable energy access.
Egypt expresses eagerness to collaborate on energy metering and best practices
Ambassador Fouad expressed Egypt's eagerness to collaborate with Nigeria, particularly in addressing the metering gap and sharing best practices in energy access.
He highlighted the shared objectives and the potential benefits of strengthening the energy partnership between the two countries.
“Nigeria and Egypt have much in common, and there is immense potential for collaboration in the energy sector. We are committed to working together to achieve sustainable energy solutions for both countries,” Fouad stated.
Nigeria partners with Chinese company to produce electric tricycles, others
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Federal Government of Nigeria and China’s Mutual Commitment Company Limited signed an MoU to collaborate on electric tricycle assembly and renewable energy training.
The agreement aimed to support Nigeria’s energy access expansion and job creation, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.