Tinubu heads to Abuja after Tanzania visit

…reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to expanding electricity access
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has concluded his visit to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he joined other African leaders for the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.
The President and his delegation arrived on Sunday and are now en route back to Abuja.
The two-day summit, hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank Group, adopted the Dar es Salaam Declaration.
The Declaration aims to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
A significant highlight of the event was the presidential endorsement of the Dar es Salaam Declaration by African leaders at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre.
After the reading of the Declaration, leaders from Nigeria, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia signed the document.
Through the Declaration, the 12 nations committed to ensuring electricity access for their citizens within the next five years.
These nations plan to achieve this goal through National Energy Compacts, which identify specific policy measures to address challenges in their energy sectors and set targets based on their unique contexts.
In a speech delivered by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, President Tinubu praised the AfDB, the World Bank Group, and development partners for their pledge to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
The Nigerian leader urged African leaders to prioritise energy access and emphasised the importance of collective action.
“Let us work together to create a brighter future for our citizens—where every African can access reliable and affordable energy. A future where our industries thrive, our economies grow, and our people prosper,” the President said, through the Minister of Power.
President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to its unelectrified population by 2030.
“This is an ambitious goal, but we can achieve it together. As Nigeria’s President, I am committed to making energy access a top priority,” he said.
He outlined Nigeria’s progress in collaboration with international development partners, including AfDB’s $1.1 billion investment, expected to provide electricity for 5 million people by 2026, and $200 million under the Nigeria Electrification Project to electrify 500,000 people by 2025.
“We also look forward to AfDB’s planned $700 million investment in the Nigeria Desert to Power programme and its $500 million facility for the Nigeria-Grid Battery Energy Storage System, which will provide electricity to an additional 2 million people.
“Furthermore, we are preparing to ensure the effective implementation of the World Bank’s $750 million support for expanding distributed energy access in Nigeria through mini-grids and standalone solar systems, which will provide power to 16.2 million people,” Tinubu said.
He thanked Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, and Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the AfDB, for their transformative vision, describing it as an initiative that “will light up and power Africa.”
Tinubu also acknowledged the contributions of UN Sustainable Energy for All, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Global Energy Alliance for Development.
“Africa is rich in energy resources, yet millions of our citizens lack reliable and affordable energy. This is unacceptable, and it is our collective responsibility to change this narrative,” he said.
The President highlighted ongoing investments in renewable energy in Nigeria, particularly solar power.
“The federal government is in the final stages of developing an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure programme, focusing on renewable energy and stricter vehicle emission standards. This initiative will ease adoption barriers, galvanise partnerships, and provide affordable EV financing options.
“I am pleased to announce that the first 100 electric buses are already in the country. Nigeria’s energy sector is growing due to our reforms. We continue to incentivise investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency across oil and gas sectors,” Tinubu said.
He noted that Nigeria attracted over $6 billion in new energy investments in 2024 and expressed optimism about building on this success in 2025 and beyond.
During the Summit, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced a $70 million private sector funding commitment to five Nigerian Renewable Electricity Service Companies (RESCOs) under the Nigeria Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme, which will be implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Nigeria’s National Energy Compact, presented at the Summit, outlines targets with implementation timelines and planned reforms.
The reforms include expanding power generation, investing in transmission and distribution infrastructure, making utilities financially viable to ensure reliable service, and incentivising private sector participation.
Other measures involve embracing distributed renewable energy and clean cooking solutions for affordable last-mile access, alongside leveraging regional integration.
According to the Compact, Nigeria will require $23.2 billion in investments for last-mile electrification, with contributions from both the public and private sectors.