NIGERIA AND THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT TO PARTNER ON ELECTRICIRTY SUPPLY
Oru Leonard
In an effort to boost development needs by improving electricity supply including renewable energy in Nigeria and Egypt, a follow up meeting was held by the Honourable Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, and the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ihad Awad today, 18th January, 2022 at the conference room of the Federal Ministry of Power, Maitama, Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu affirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to see that Nigerians have effective power supply. He informed the meeting that the Federal Government of Nigeria signed a power project deal with Siemens AG, a Germany base firm in 2019. The deal which brings together Nigeria’s Ministry of Power, Bureau of Public Enterprice (“BPE”), Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission(“NERC”), Transmission Company of Nigeria (“TCN”) and Electricity Distribution Companies (“DisCos”) will see to the development of the power sector of Nigeria. The deal is to deliver up to 25,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the National grid in phases and expressed Federal Government’s desire for more of such partners.
Abubakar, further, stated that the anticipated area of cooperation between Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Power may include; provision of technical support in transmission and distribution networks existing into smart-grid, promotion of renewable energy system in the electricity sector both (On –grid and Off-grid).
Responding, the Egyptian Ambassador, Ihad Awad, said he foresees the manifestation of how Egypt and Nigeria will complement each other which will be demonstrated by the anticipated cooperation. He acknowledged the Federal Government of Nigeria on his efforts to see improvement in the energy sector, stating that electricity is the engine of the development of any country.
He stated that, the Egyptian Embassy and the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy are working to ensure the realization of a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria Ministry of Power.
