Adelabu unveils plans to transform Nigeria’s fragile electricity grid

By Kunle Sanni

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has outlined progress in efforts to overhaul the country’s fragile electricity grid, as part of a collaboration with Germany aimed at stabilizing power supply and expanding energy access.

Speaking to State House reporters on Wednesday in Abuja after a meeting with a German business delegation led by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Adelabu highlighted the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), a Siemens-led programme designed to modernize Nigeria’s aging grid system.

Earlier, WESTERN POST reported that president Bola Tinubu received President Steinmeier at the Aso Rock alongside other delegation including CEOs and board members from leading German companies in energy, IT, and high-tech industries.

Adelabu revealed that the pilot phase of the PPI, launched following an agreement at COP28 in December 2023, is nearing completion.

He said about 80 per cent of the work is done, including the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations.

According to him, the phase has added 750 megawatts (MW) to the national grid, with an additional 150 MW expected by year-end.

“The completion of this phase has already contributed to the relative stability we are seeing in the grid today,” Adelabu said.

Speaking further, he announced that the initiative is now advancing to Phase One, which involves rehabilitating 14 existing substations and constructing 23 new ones across the country.

The minister also said preparations for this stage are nearly finalised, pending approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council, (FEC).

“When completed, the entire grid will be fundamentally transformed, addressing its current fragility and ensuring stability going forward,” he added.

Adelabu also emphasized renewable energy as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

He highlighted the country’s vast potential for solar, wind, and hydropower, and stressed the need for partnerships with technologically advanced countries like Germany.

“We have over 30 states with at least 10 hours of daily sunshine, coastal wind resources in the south, and desert wind in the north. Together with Germany, we can harness these resources to expand energy access,” he said.