…assures Siemens of full support for presidential power initiative
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering reliable electricity to Nigerians, declaring that power remains central to rebuilding the economy and improving livelihoods.
Speaking during a meeting on Monday at the State House with a delegation from Siemens Energy led by Dietmar Siersdorfer, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, President Tinubu said the Federal Government is fully committed to the successful implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
The meeting was attended by 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.
President Tinubu described electricity as the backbone of sustainable development, stressing that Nigeria’s industrial, healthcare, and educational sectors cannot thrive without a stable power supply.
“There is no industrial growth or economic development without power,” he said. “Power is the most significant discovery of humanity in the last 1,000 years. We appreciate the support of the German government and Siemens. Your investment aligns with the future of this country.”
While acknowledging progress made on the phased implementation of the PPI, the President said more needed to be done and directed an expansion of major transformer substations—from two phases to three—to boost national grid capacity.
“We want everyone to see the success of our economic recovery efforts and the banishment of poverty,” he stated, assuring the delegation of continuous funding support to ensure timely delivery of the project.
Briefing the President, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu highlighted several achievements since the signing of the Accelerated Implementation Agreement with Siemens at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023.
According to him: The power sector has been liberalized, with the signing of the Electricity Act 2023 and the development of a comprehensive National Integrated Electricity Policy—the first in 24 years.
Over $2.2 billion in fresh investments has flowed into the sector.
Fifteen states have now activated their own electricity markets.
Adelabu further revealed that under Phase Zero of the PPI: Siemens has delivered and commissioned 10 mobile 132/33kV substations, Three 75/100MVA transformers, and Seven 60/66MVA transformers, adding 984MW of transmission capacity to the national grid.
He added that in December 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved the commencement of Phase One, Batch One of the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract covering upgrades and installations at substations in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha.
Two of the substations are expected to be completed by 2026.
Siemens: Nigeria Will Become a Regional Power Hub
Siemens Energy’s Siersdorfer said the PPI represents “a platform for long-term development and prosperity,” noting that two of the five substations under construction are on track for completion by December 2026.
He also disclosed that Siemens is constructing a training centre to build local capacity, promote technology transfer, and generate employment.
“Nigerian professionals will be fully involved across the project sites. Thousands of indirect jobs will also be created in host communities through local services and logistics,” he said.
German Government Pledges Continued Support
Johannes Lehne, representing the German Ambassador, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s energy reforms, describing bilateral cooperation on the PPI as a model partnership.
With optimism from both sides, the Presidential Power Initiative is expected to significantly improve Nigeria’s electricity generation, transmission, and distribution systems—setting the country on a path toward becoming a regional energy powerhouse.
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