The US has backed Nigeria’s utility-scale solar power project with Sun Africa, supporting the country’s renewable energy goals.
Nigeria’s solar power project has received the support of the United States through its Federal Government.
During a meeting with Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power in Abuja, United States Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills declared the provision of this aid.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, the Minister’s Special Adviser for Strategic Communication and Media Relations, revealed this information.
Leading the effort to satisfy Africa’s energy requirements, Sun Africa LLC, a US-based firm, will spearhead a solar project that aims to deliver crucial power infrastructure to Nigeria.
Mills stated that his purpose in visiting the power ministry was to ascertain the current status of the Sun Africa power project and extend assistance towards the Ministry’s involvement with said project.
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In addition, the Ambassador extended an invitation to the Minister to attend a Energy summit taking place in Washington on September 11th-12th in 2024.
He stated that the summit will bring attention to the electricity sector, highlighting its importance. Additionally, he noted that working groups focused on strategic energy dialogue would be a key component of this gathering.
Adelabu declared that the Ministry aimed to enhance local industries by furnishing them with sufficient electricity, facilitating their improved performance.
The Minister pointed out that despite possessing a large population and market, Nigeria’s potential strength has not been realized due to the country’s reliance on imports for 80% of its consumption. This dependence places a heavy burden on the limited foreign exchange sources available in the nation.
He went on to explain that the Ministry has organized its initiatives into five main categories, including facilitating legislative measures for decentralizing the power sector; providing policy support aimed at designing a comprehensive National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan as a guide for industry policies; implementing favorable tariff structures in order to shift market patterns and enhance infrastructure quality; partnering with foreign investors to enable improved provision of infrastructures, and finally developing an Energy Transition plan focused on achieving net zero emission.
The Minister reassured the visiting team that significant efforts are being made to obtain approval for a seamless operational launch of the Sun Africa Power Project.
