Tegbe secures Chinese commitment to Nigeria’s power sector

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has secured fresh commitments from leading Chinese power engineering companies and financial institutions to accelerate the delivery of Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) projects and deepen investment across Nigeria’s electricity value chain.

The commitments were secured during a series of high-level engagements in Beijing as part of the ongoing Nigeria-China power sector mission.

The engagements focused on converting existing partnerships into bankable projects, financed investments and completed infrastructure capable of delivering measurable improvements in electricity supply, including additional megawatts, transmission capacity and improved reliability.

At a strategic meeting with Sinomach Group and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), two major contractors involved in Nigeria’s generation and transmission programmes, Tegbe called for firm and accelerated completion schedules for ongoing PPI projects.

He also advocated a broader partnership model that would move beyond conventional engineering, procurement and construction contracts to include co-investment, financing, technology transfer and technical expertise.

Under the proposed model, Chinese partners would participate in generation, transmission, hydropower and related industrial investments to speed up project completion, expand wheeling capacity and develop blended financing structures.

Building on CMEC’s existing presence in Nigeria, the minister urged the company and other Chinese partners to play a greater role in mobilising capital and supporting the government’s efforts to expand the country’s electricity infrastructure.

Tegbe also visited the China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) to advance cooperation on the expansion of Nigeria’s transmission network.

The minister said transmission remained a critical part of efforts to improve electricity supply, as limitations on the network continue to affect the ability of the power system to deliver available generation to homes and businesses.

As part of the mission, the Nigerian delegation witnessed a factory acceptance test for high-voltage cables and other transmission materials at Hengfei Cable’s Changsha Industrial Park.

The test was conducted to verify that equipment destined for Nigerian transmission projects meets the required technical standards before shipment, helping to reduce installation delays and technical challenges after the materials arrive in Nigeria.

Beyond power infrastructure, Tegbe sought to link increased electricity capacity with industrial development by inviting Chinese companies to invest in sectors that are both major consumers of electricity and drivers of economic growth.

The sectors identified include steel, automotive manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold-chain logistics and sugar processing.

He proposed the establishment of a structured Nigeria-China industrial cooperation platform to identify, assess and develop bankable projects aligned with Nigeria’s industrialisation priorities.

According to the minister, linking new generation and transmission capacity with anchor industrial demand would create jobs, strengthen electricity demand and improve the commercial viability of investments in the power sector.

The engagements form part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to use international partnerships to mobilise capital, expand electricity infrastructure and strengthen Nigeria’s power system.

The ministry said the ultimate objective was to ensure that partnerships translate into completed projects, expanded infrastructure and more reliable electricity supply for Nigerians.