US backs Nigeria on Sun Africa’s utility scale solar power project

In its continued effort towards providing regular, quality electricity to businesses and households in the country, the Federal Government has secured the backings of the United State to Nigeria’s solar power project.

This was revealed by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Richard Mills during a meeting with the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu in Abuja.

Tribune Online reports that the solar project will see Sun Africa LLC, an American company, in the forefront of the push to meet Africa’s energy needs, providing vital power infrastructure to Nigeria.

According to the Ambassador, his visit to the Power Ministry was to know the status of the Sun Africa power project and support the Ministry’s engagement on the project.

The envoy also invited the Minister to an Energy summit scheduled to hold from 11 to 12th September, 2024 in Washington. The summit, he said, will make the electricity sector a major focus while adding it (the summit) would comprise working groups engaged in strategic energy dialogue.

The minister, in his earlier remarks, stated that the Ministry is geared towards adding value to local industries by providing them with adequate power to enable them function better. He said though Nigeria has the population and the market which should be a strength to the nation, the reverse according to him has been the case simply because Nigeria still imports about 80 percent of what it consumes and “This has left the country with a lot of burden since the country has limited source of foreign exchange to fund the import dependence.”

He said the Ministry has prioritised its programmes into five key areas which are; legislative support to decentralize the power sector; policy support to design a National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan that would be the manual for sectorial policies; appropriate tariff to migrate the market and also upgrade the infrastructures; infrastructure provision that would be achieved through partnership with foreign investors and an Energy transition plan targeted towards achieving net zero emission.

On the status of the Sun Africa Power Project, the Minister assured the visiting team that a lot is being done to secure approval for smooth operational take off.