Nigeria, Japan deepen partnership to strengthen power sector

By Kunle Sanni

Nigeria and Japan have taken steps to deepen their bilateral energy cooperation following a recent visit by Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and a high-level delegation to Japan.

In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, Malam Mutari Ibrahim, Director of Promotion and Outreach at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), confirmed that the minister, accompanied by key stakeholders from Nigeria’s power sector, completed a three-day visit aimed at strengthening collaboration in the energy sector.

Facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the visit underscores both countries’ commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and promoting technological and infrastructural exchange.

According to Ibrahim, the delegation engaged with Japanese energy leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss strategies for enhancing Nigeria’s power infrastructure, improving grid reliability, and exploring innovative energy solutions.

He highlighted the strategic engagements and key insights gained during the visit, which are expected to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s energy sector.

“The key areas of focus included the policies governing Japan’s power sector and its evolution,” he said.

Ibrahim stated that the delegation received a comprehensive briefing on Japan’s power sector, its regulatory framework, and the efficient management of electricity distribution and market operations.

“These insights provided valuable lessons for Nigeria’s evolving power market, electricity management, and system operations,” he added.

The delegation also explored Japan’s advanced electricity load dispatching mechanisms and the operational framework for generation and distribution coordination.

“Grid optimization strategies that could inform best practices for Nigeria’s power sector reforms, energy trading, and market operations were also examined.

“Nigeria’s energy stakeholders analyzed Japan’s electricity supply system and power exchange market, assessing models that could enhance the efficiency of Nigeria’s electricity market, energy pricing mechanisms, and competitiveness,” Ibrahim said.

He further stated that the minister and his team engaged in high-level technical discussions to deepen Nigeria-Japan energy sector cooperation, including a bilateral meeting with the Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

During the meeting, both parties explored opportunities to strengthen economic and energy sector collaborations.

They also held a strategic session with JICA leadership, identifying potential areas of support and collaboration to accelerate power sector reforms and investment in Nigeria.

As part of the visit, the delegation conducted on-site technical assessments of key Japanese energy facilities, including DAIKIN Solution Plaza, where they gained insights into energy-efficient and innovative cooling solutions.

“They also visited Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to explore Japan’s grid management strategies, resilience planning, and sustainable power solutions, with a view to adopting best practices to enhance Nigeria’s national grid reliability,” Ibrahim noted.

The visit resulted in the identification and advancement of key initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s power sector, including short-term grid reliability measures.

Discussions focused on immediate steps that Nigeria could implement to enhance national grid stability and resilience, leveraging Japan’s expertise in grid operations and maintenance.

“The visit also advanced JICA’s potential co-financing support for the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) Project, implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“This initiative aims to expand energy access in rural and underserved communities, stimulating economic growth and sustainable development,” he said.

The engagements laid a strong foundation for long-term collaboration between Nigeria and Japan, unlocking opportunities for technology transfer, capacity building, and investments in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.

The minister was accompanied on the visit by Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power; Sanusi Garba, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC); Sule Abdulaziz, Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN); and Abba Aliyu, Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA).