We’ll add 150mw to power grid by year-end – Adelabu

Nigeria’s power grid is set to gain an additional 150 megawatts of capacity by the end of 2024, according to Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, Adelabu outlined the progress made under the Siemens-led Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

The minister attributed the upcoming boost in power capacity to the near completion of the initiative’s pilot phase.

“We have completed about 80% of the pilot stage, which includes the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 powermobile substations.

“These efforts have already added 750 megawatts to our grid capacity, and by year-end, an additional 150 megawatts will be realized upon full completion of the pilot phase,” Adelabu said.

Adelabu acknowledged the aging and fragile state of Nigeria’s power grid, emphasizing the necessity of the Siemens project to ensure long-term stability.

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The next phase, he noted, involves rehabilitating 14 existing substations and establishing 23 new substations across the country.

“We are transitioning to Phase One of the project, with the first batch of this phase already concluded in terms of commercial agreements,” he said.

Approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement is expected soon, after which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will finalize the financing arrangements.

Adelabu expressed optimism about the initiative’s transformative impact, stating, “When Phase One is complete, Nigeria’s power grid will not remain the same.

“This project will redefine grid stability and efficiency across the country.”

In addition to grid enhancements, Nigeria is strengthening its partnership with Germany to expand renewable energy sources.

Adelabu highlighted the country’s potential in solar, wind, and hydropower.

“Germany has the technology, and we have the natural resources,” he said, citing over 30 Nigerian states with at least 10 hours of daily sunshine and abundant wind potential in both northern desert areas and southern coastal regions.

Adelabu also noted the underutilization of Nigeria’s 300 dams for hydropower, which could be unlocked through new infrastructure developments, including the Badagry-Sokoto road.

The minister stressed the importance of off-grid power systems to ensure energy access for rural and underserved communities.

“Each of our 36 states and the FCT will have their own embedded generation plants, creating a distributed power model that shields them from national grid challenges,” Adelabu explained.

While no new agreements were signed during the meeting with President Steinmeier, Adelabu emphasized a shared commitment to accelerating existing projects.

“The focus is on expediting the implementation of our current agreements to achieve expanded energy access and grid stability for Nigerians,” he stated.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNEaz