Nigeria Seeks Egypt’s Help To Address Power Crisis

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said the government would tap into Egypt’s experience in power generation and transmission to address the country’s power challenges.

Naija News reports Adelabu said the government was committed to improving electricity access across Nigeria, including rural areas.

The Minister of Power disclosed this during a recent meeting in Abuja with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad.

Adelabu’s spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji, in a statement, on Sunday, said the meeting centered on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, focusing on renewable energy and rural electrification.

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

He expressed Nigeria’s interest in learning from Egypt’s experience in energy generation, transmission, and distribution, adding that the success in Egypt led to the engagements with Siemens to stabilize Nigeria’s 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 said.

Adelabu stressed that while it would be impossible to connect all rural communities to the national grid due to economic constraints, renewable energy would be harnessed to close the gap and ensure all rural communities have access to reliable electricity.

“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 $750m from the World Bank’s DARES project and an additional $190m from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to support this initiative,” he stated.

On his part, Fouad expressed Egypt’s enthusiasm for collaborating with Nigeria, particularly in closing the metering gap and sharing best practices in energy access.

He emphasized the shared goals and mutual benefits of strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.

“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,” he said.