By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THE FEDERAL Government has reaffirmed its dedication to rural development by enhancing electricity access to uphold electricity as a fundamental right for all Nigerians.
This commitment was reiterated by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, during a recent meeting in Abuja with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
The discussions between Adelabu and Fouad focused on deepening bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, particularly in renewable energy and rural electrification.
Adelabu asserted Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to provide power to remote rural areas through renewable energy solutions, given the economic constraints of extending the national grid to these regions.
“Many rural areas cannot be connected to the grid due to economic constraints, but we cannot neglect them. Through our renewable energy programme, we are bridging this gap. We have secured significant investments, including $750 million from the World Bank’s DARES project and an additional $190 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to support this initiative,” Adelabu stated.
Highlighting Nigeria’s abundant renewable energy resources—solar, wind, and hydroelectric—Adelabu expressed the government’s determination to harness these resources for sustainable energy access.
Adelabu also lauded Egypt’s achievements in the energy sector, describing the country as a model in energy infrastructure development. He affirmed Nigeria’s interest in learning from Egypt’s experience in energy generation, transmission, and distribution, noting that Egypt’s success influenced Nigeria’s engagement with Siemens to stabilise its power sector.
“Egypt has made remarkable strides in energy transformation, and we are eager to collaborate and learn from your expertise. Our goal is to ensure reliable, stable, and affordable energy access for all Nigerians,” he added.
The Minister outlined Nigeria’s progress in the power sector since he assumed office 17 months ago, highlighting efforts to expand electricity access and address key challenges, including grid reliability, aging infrastructure, and metering gaps. He referenced the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) as a strategic move to bridge these gaps.
Ambassador Fouad expressed Egypt’s enthusiasm for collaboration, particularly in closing Nigeria’s metering gap and exchanging best practices in energy access. He emphasised the mutual benefits of strengthening bilateral ties in the power sector.
“Nigeria and Egypt have much in common, and there is immense potential for collaboration in the energy sector. We are committed to working together to achieve sustainable energy solutions for both countries,” Fouad said.
Commending Adelabu’s commitment to expanding power access, particularly through renewable energy projects, Fouad noted Egypt’s ambition to increase its renewable energy share from the current 14 percent to 42 percent by 2035. He expressed interest in learning from Nigeria’s experience in energy diversification.
“I want to commend you for your efforts in the power sector, which are visible everywhere. Nigeria and Egypt had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on power projects. We should activate the MoU, perhaps by holding virtual meetings and exchanging ideas on renewable energy collaboration,” the envoy stated.
