Tinubu reaffirms commitment to power reforms, assures Siemens of full government support
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s firm commitment to improving Nigeria’s electricity supply, pledging full support to Siemens Energy in the execution of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
Speaking during a meeting on Monday at the State House, Abuja, with a delegation from Siemens Energy led by Mr. Dietmar Siersdorfer, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, President Tinubu said the government was taking the power sector “very seriously” as a key driver of national economic growth and improved livelihoods.
“There is no industrial growth or economic development without power,” the President said. “I believe that power is the most significant discovery of humanity in the last 1,000 years. Our education, healthcare, and transportation all depend on energy — without power, it is an impossible objective. We are taking it very seriously.”
The President noted that the completion of the phased power project would position Nigeria as a continental leader by unlocking its vast human and material potential. He directed the expansion of major transformer substations from two to three phases to boost national power supply, emphasizing that his administration is determined to “achieve the glory of economic recovery and banish poverty.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser on Energy Olu Verheijen attended the meeting.
Minister Adelabu, in his briefing, outlined key milestones achieved in the sector, including the decentralisation and liberalisation of the power industry following the signing of the Electricity Act 2023. He disclosed that the new National Integrated Electricity Policy has already attracted over $2.2 billion in fresh investments and led to the activation of 15 state electricity markets.
He further reported notable progress under the Presidential Power Initiative, explaining that Siemens Energy had delivered and commissioned 10 mobile substations, three 75/100MVA transformers, and seven 60/66MVA transformers across key load centres nationwide, adding 984MW of transmission capacity to the grid.
Adelabu added that the Federal Executive Council had approved the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for Phase One, Batch One of the PPI, which covers substations in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha. Two of these substations, he said, are expected to be completed by end of 2026.
Looking ahead, the minister revealed plans for Phase One, Batch Two, which will involve constructing 10 new (Greenfield) and upgrading 6 existing (Brownfield) substations nationwide, expected to add a combined 4,104MW to the grid.
Finance Minister Wale Edun said the PPI’s completion would boost Nigeria’s ease of doing business, create more youth employment, and reduce poverty.
In his remarks, Siemens Energy’s Mr. Siersdorfer praised the progress made so far, noting that the PPI was “not just a project but a platform for long-term development and prosperity.” He announced that a training centre was under construction to train local engineers and promote technology transfer, job creation, and local content participation.
“The PPI will transform Nigeria into a regional power hub and reflect the strength of the Nigeria-Germany partnership,” Siersdorfer said.
Representing the German government, Mr. Johannes Lehne assured President Tinubu of continued support and collaboration to ensure the initiative’s success.
