The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Power Company has announced the signing of a major Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC&F) contract with China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) group worth US$328,818,916.99 to boost power supply across Nigeria.
Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the signing ceremony stated that the project will ensure the rehabilitation and extensive construction of 330 kV and 132 kV transmission lines under Phase 1 of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) while preventing stranded capacity in the grid.
Adebayo explained that the project
with a load capacity of 7,140
megawatts will act as the arteries that carry the increased power generated through Nigeria’s midstream transmission projects directly to the homes, businesses, and industries adding that the project is deliberately designed to seamlessly complement the ongoing midstream transmission enhancements.
“By focusing on upgrading and expanding our transmission network, we are directly addressing a key bottleneck in the power sector value chain. This will translate to a significant improvement in electricity reliability and accessibility for millions of Nigerians fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the quality of life for our citizens.”.
Meanwhile, Adelabu noted that the government is aware of the current power supply challenges but is working tirelessly to address them hence the contract signing but emphasized that Nigerians should join hands in protecting the nation’s critical assets while they continue working towards providing affordable and reliable power supply to Nigerians.
“This project, I also want to reiterate that it will involve a lot of installation of expensive wire lines, expensive substations that are seen as national, critical national assets, we urge Nigerians to join hands in protecting this because it’s going to be executed with taxpayers’ money. Even if it is through finance, the repayment of the financing will be from
taxpayers’ money.
“If we destroy our transmission or distribution assets, we are destroying our own personal assets. So this asset must be guarded and protected generously for us to have unaltered and undisturbed regular power supply to our people.”. he added.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FGN Power Company, Kenny Anuwe on his part stated that the signing signifies a critical and concrete step towards
addressing the power infrastructure challenges of Nigeria adding that the expansion and upgrade of Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure are crucial for effectively wielding the incremental power that is generated from the work that Siemens Energy does.
Anuwe noted that having recognized that a robust and reliable transmission network is the backbone of a stable power
sector, he stressed that the partnership with CMEC is a strategic move to strengthen that backbone and to
ensure that the investments being made in generation can translate into tangible benefits for the Nigerian populace.
“We are particularly delighted to partner with CMEC on this transformative project.
The global reputation for engineering excellence, project execution capabilities, and commitment to quality are well established both in Nigeria and elsewhere. We are confident that this expertise will be invaluable in delivering this crucial infrastructure efficiently at the highest standards.”.
“Today, we are forging a power alliance to meet Nigeria’s growing energy and infrastructure needs.This contract is not just a procedural step. It is a reaffirmation of our commitment to transparency, accountability, and delivering on the promises made to Nigerians. We are
determined to ensure that this project is executed diligently, efficiently, and with the utmostattention to quality and timelines.”. he added.
Responding, Vice-President, CMEC, Li Xiaoyu expressed optimism about the contract and the timely execution of the project for the benefits of Nigerians.
