President Bola Tinubu has directed Siemens Energy to expand the scope of ongoing power infrastructure projects under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) into three distinct phases to strengthen electricity supply across Nigeria.
The President gave the directive during a meeting on Monday at the State House, Abuja, with a Siemens Energy delegation led by Dietmar Siersdorfer, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. The move reflects his administration’s plan to achieve stable and affordable electricity nationwide.
Tinubu praised Siemens Energy for its continued partnership with Nigeria under the PPI, which began in 2019 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The initiative aims to resolve long-standing challenges in power transmission and distribution.
“I appreciate the partnership on the initiative. The progress of the project to date is notable, and we can feel it. But it is not where we want it to be,” Tinubu said. He added that his administration would provide political and financial support to complete the project and expand major transformer substations from two to three phases.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said Nigeria’s power sector had reached significant milestones, including decentralisation and liberalisation. He noted that the President signed the Electricity Act 2023 and launched a National Integrated Electricity Policy, which attracted over $2.2 billion in new investments.
“Since the signing of the Accelerated Agreement at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023, the PPI has recorded notable milestones,” Adelabu said. “Under the Pilot Phase, we have achieved infrastructure upgrades that are already improving grid stability across the country.”
He explained that Phase One, Batch One of the project covers upgrades and installations in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha, with two substations expected to be completed by December 2026.
Siersdorfer confirmed that Siemens Energy was also constructing a training centre to build local capacity in electrical engineering and promote job creation. “The PPI is not just a project but a platform for long-term development and prosperity,” he said.
The German envoy, Johannes Lehne, reaffirmed his country’s support for Nigeria’s energy reforms and commitment to continued collaboration.
