FG seeks Egypt’s expertise to boost power sector

The Federal Government has sought Egypt’s assistance in boosting Nigeria’s power generation, transmission, and distribution, leveraging the North African nation’s expertise to drive significant improvements in the energy sector.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the request during a meeting with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, in Abuja.

Adelabu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, on Sunday, said the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, which prioritises electricity as a fundamental right for all Nigerians.

According to him, Nigeria’s interest in learning from Egypt stems from the success recorded in previous engagements with Siemens to stabilise the nation’s power sector.

The meeting between Adelabu and Fouad centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, particularly in renewable energy and rural electrification.

“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,” Adelabu said.

He commended Egypt’s achievements in the energy sector, describing the country as a model for energy infrastructure development.

The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to expand electricity access in remote areas through renewable energy initiatives, citing the economic challenges of extending the national grid to such 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, to support this initiative,” he stated.

Adelabu noted that Nigeria has vast renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and hydro, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to harnessing them for sustainable power supply.

Providing an update on developments in the power sector since assuming office 17 months ago, the minister acknowledged ongoing challenges such as grid reliability, aging infrastructure, and metering gaps.

He said the government is tackling these issues through initiatives like the Presidential Metering Initiative, aimed at ensuring more Nigerians have access to stable electricity.

In response, Ambassador Fouad expressed Egypt’s readiness to collaborate with Nigeria, particularly in closing the metering gap and sharing best practices in energy access.

“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.

While commending Adelabu’s efforts in expanding power access across Nigeria, especially through renewable energy projects, the envoy said Egypt was also increasing its renewable energy contribution from 14 per cent to 42 per cent and hoped to learn from Nigeria’s experience.

“I want to commend you for your efforts in the power sector, which are visible everywhere. Nigeria and Egypt had a Memorandum of Understanding on power projects, and we should activate it.

“We can start by holding virtual meetings and exchanging ideas to identify areas of cooperation because power expansion, especially in renewable energy, requires ambitious planning. Like Nigeria, we are blessed with solar and wind resources and need cooperation in this area. We look forward to your visit for further discussions,” Fouad said.

The statement noted that the meeting underscored the deepening partnership between Nigeria and Egypt in advancing energy access and renewable energy development, with both nations set to harness their shared resources for mutual growth. It