Nigeria to Enhance Power Supply with 150MW Boost by Year-End - Minister Adelabu Says

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has announced that an additional 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity will be added to the national grid before the end of the year.

This enhancement is part of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), a strategic collaboration between Nigeria and Germany, implemented in partnership with Siemens.

Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the presidential villa in Abuja, Minister Adelabu highlighted the progress made under the PPI. "We believe that before the end of the year, an additional 150 megawatts will be added upon completion of the entire pilot phase," he stated.

The initiative, which focuses on both brownfield and greenfield transmission substations, has already increased Nigeria's grid capacity by 750 MW. Adelabu noted that this was achieved through the importation and installation of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations, with eight already commissioned.

"The positive impact of this is that it has added nothing less than 750 megawatts to our transmission grid capacity," he explained. Looking ahead, the minister outlined plans to revamp 14 existing substations and establish 23 new ones across the country. He emphasized the need to strengthen the fragile and dilapidated grid to ensure stability.

"The entire grid is quite fragile and dilapidated. We need to revamp it to ensure stability going forward," Adelabu remarked.

In addition to addressing immediate power needs, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to renewable energy as part of its long-term strategy.

"We have an energy transition plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060," he said, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in advancing Nigeria's energy development.

Adelabu also discussed plans for off-grid solutions, proposing a distributed power model where each state would have its own generating plants. "This model will shield states from problems on the national grid and ensure rural electrification," he added.

The minister concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria's energy future, emphasizing that partnerships with Germany and other stakeholders will help build a robust energy infrastructure to support economic growth.