In Abuja on Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari claimed that the swift addition of solar energy to the nation’s energy mix would increase the number of communities that lack access to electricity.
The President welcomed a group from SUN Africa LLC, USA and stated that this administration has started a number of measures targeted at reviving Nigeria’s energy sector in order to increase community access to energy.
He expressed appreciation for the US developer’s desire to engage in Nigeria’s power industry and assured that the federal government will continue to be dedicated to working with the private sector to increase access to electricity, create jobs, and advance industrial development.
The President outlined some of the initiatives this administration has taken to address Nigeria’s energy needs, including the recent passage of the Nigeria Climate Change Bill, which will take effect in November 2021, the World Bank’s implementation of the Power Sector Recovery Programme, and the Nigeria Electrification Program, which aims to improve energy access in remote regions.
The Presidential Power Initiative with Siemens, he continued, intended to achieve end-to-end alignment throughout the power Value Chain.
‘‘Initiatives like these will go a long way in developing local capacity through technology transfer and relieving transmission constraints through the generation and distribution of electricity in the local Distribution Companies Franchise Area, making off-take easier.
‘‘The Ministers of Finance and Power as well as other Agencies of Government will remain available at all times, to ensure the achievement of this significant project as part of our efforts towards achieving Net Zero Emission by 2050.
‘‘I am pleased to note the technology transfer content embedded in this initiative as well as the employment generation potentials.
‘‘I thank you all for coming and look forward to receiving regular updates as you achieve significant milestones in developing your projects in Nigeria,’’ he told the delegation from the solar project company.
Mr Goran Rajsic, Founder, Sun Africa LLC, USA, stated in his remarks that the renewable and infrastructure company hopes to offer solar power in different locations across the country, as it has done in Angola, with finance provided by the US EXIM Bank.
He asserted that his organisation, in collaboration with other prominent energy companies, is capable of meeting Nigeria’s electricity needs.
“We will create something that will be of immediate need for Nigeria, and last for years to come,” he said.
The cooperation for energy and infrastructure that Sun Africa LLC, USA has in mind, according to him, “will revolutionise both the industrial and agricultural sectors.”