President Bola Tinubu has been told that two major new electricity substations are on track to be completed by the end of 2026, as part of a key power initiative with the German engineering firm, Siemens.
The update was delivered during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where the President reaffirmed his administration’s “full commitment” to improving Nigeria’s electricity supply.
The President described power as the cornerstone of national development, stating, “There is no industrial growth or economic development without power. I believe that power is the most significant discovery of humanity in the last 1,000 years.”
He assured the delegation from Siemens Energy, led by its Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Dietmar Siersdorfer, that the government was taking the project “very seriously.”
The partnership, known as the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), is intended to overhaul the nation’s fragile grid.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, provided details on the progress, noting that an important phase of the project was now underway.
“In December 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved the commencement of the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contract for Phase One, Batch One of the PPI,” the minister stated.
He explained that this initial batch focuses on five key substations located in Abeokuta, Offa, Ayede-Ibadan, Sokoto, and Onitsha.
“I am pleased to report that plans for civil works mobilisation across all five locations have been finalised, concurrent manufacturing of the required equipment is ongoing, and two of the five substations are targeted for completion by the end of 2026,” Adelabu informed the President.
Confirming this timeline, the leader of the Siemens delegation, Dietmar Siersdorfer, said, “Two out of the five substations under construction are expected to be completed by December 2026.”
He emphasised that the project was designed to be a catalyst for long-term development, noting that it would create local jobs and involve technology transfer. “Nigerian professionals will be engaged directly in the five project sites in Batch 1 for the site works, while thousands of jobs will be enabled in the local communities,” Siersdorfer noted.
President Tinubu linked the project’s success directly to the well-being of Nigerians, asserting that the government’s objective is the “banishment of poverty.” He declared, “We want everyone to see the glory of our economic recovery.”
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, who was also present, added that the completed project would enhance Nigeria’s ease of doing business and create more jobs for the youth.
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