PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s power sector to improve electricity supply and enhance the quality of life for citizens.
Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from Siemens Energy, led by the company’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Dietmar Siersdorfer, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the President described power as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic revival.
He emphasized that reliable electricity is vital for industrial growth, education, healthcare, and national development.
“The power sector remains central to stimulating our economy. There is no industrial growth or economic progress without power. We are taking it very seriously,” Tinubu stated.
The meeting was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, and Special Adviser on Energy Olu Verheijen.
In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said completing the ongoing Siemens Power Project would position Nigeria as a regional energy leader, unlocking vast economic and human potential.
He also directed the expansion of major transformer substations from two to three phases to boost national power capacity.
The Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu highlighted significant milestones in the sector, including the passage of the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the industry and attracted over $2.2 billion in new investments.
He added that since the signing of the Accelerated Agreement at COP28 in 2023, Siemens Energy has delivered key infrastructure under the Power Project Initiative (PPI), including 10 mobile substations and several high-capacity transformers that have increased transmission output by nearly 1,000MW nationwide.
Adelabu further revealed that civil works are set to commence at five key substations in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha under the first phase of the PPI, with two of them scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
Siersdorfer reaffirmed Siemens’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s energy goals, announcing that two substations would be completed by December 2026. He also disclosed that a training centre is being developed to train Nigerian engineers, create local jobs, and ensure technology transfer.
“The PPI is not just a project—it’s a platform for long-term development and prosperity,” he said, adding that thousands of local jobs would be created through on-site work, service provision, and logistics support.
Representing the German government, Johannes Lehne, the Deputy Ambassador, assured President Tinubu of continued collaboration and support for Nigeria’s energy transformation agenda.
Minister Wale Edun concluded that the successful completion of the Siemens project would enhance the ease of doing business, generate employment, and significantly reduce poverty across the country.