The Federal Government has said deeper cooperation between Nigeria and China in the power sector will help deliver reliable electricity, renewable energy and locally manufactured power equipment to Nigerians.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Ministry of Power, the collaboration is part of efforts to close the country’s energy gap and reduce dependence on imported power equipment.
“According to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria and China have signed several agreements to expand generation, transmission and distribution capacity. He said the partnership will also focus on renewable energy and technology transfer,” the statement read.
Chief Adelabu noted that China has remained a key partner in Nigeria’s infrastructure development, with Chinese firms currently handling major projects in hydro, solar and grid expansion.
The Minister added that the Federal Government is pushing for local manufacturing of transformers, cables and meters under the agreement to create jobs and reduce foreign exchange pressure.
“President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to ensuring that Nigerians have access to stable and affordable electricity. Our cooperation with China will bring in investment, expertise and equipment needed to achieve that,” Adelabu said.
Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, shows that Nigeria’s national grid currently struggles to consistently deliver above 5,000MW to over 200 million people.
Stakeholders have welcomed the move but called for transparency and monitoring to ensure projects are completed on schedule. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria also urged the government to prioritize local content in the partnership.
In a related development, the Federal Government said it is working with the Rural Electrification Agency to deploy more solar mini-grids in underserved communities across the 36 states.
Meanwhile, officials said technical teams from both countries will meet in the coming weeks to finalize implementation timelines for the new power projects.
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