In a significant move to boost Nigeria’s power sector, the federal government has unveiled plans to invest $800 million under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI). This substantial investment will focus on constructing new substations and upgrading distribution networks across the country.

The $800 million investment will be allocated in two equal parts:

$400 million for enhancing infrastructure in the regions covered by Benin, Port Harcourt, and Enugu Distribution Companies (DisCos).

$400 million for improvements in the areas served by Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, and Kano DisCos.

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu announced this plan during a visit to TBEA, a Chinese company that specializes in power transformers and transmission projects, while attending the China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing.

Adelabu acknowledged recent issues with power distribution, which have led to a decrease in generation capacity from a peak of 5,170 megawatts to 3,770 megawatts. Despite these setbacks, the government remains committed to increasing power generation to 6,000 megawatts by the end of the year. The long-term goal is to achieve 30 gigawatts by 2030, with 30% of that coming from renewable energy sources.

The Minister highlighted the need for these upgrades due to the outdated and fragile state of the current power infrastructure, which has led to unreliable power supply and forced many industries to rely on their own self-generated power.

To address these issues, the government plans to construct a new super grid to support the country’s long-term power vision. Adelabu assured that 90% of the necessary approvals for these projects are already in place, and the work will proceed as planned.

This investment marks a crucial step in revitalizing Nigeria’s power sector and supporting industrial growth throughout the country.