The Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand Nigeria’s power grid capacity by 4,000 megawatts (MW) by the end of 2026, as part of renewed efforts to overhaul the country’s struggling electricity infrastructure.
According to a statement by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, the government has enlisted several high-profile Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) firms with proven financial and technical expertise to fast-track the rollout.
President Bola Tinubu approved the new strategic framework, which will be driven under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) a flagship project originally launched in partnership with Siemens but recently reinvigorated by the current administration.
“The strategic direction approved by Mr. President is aimed at raising national grid capacity by 4,000MW by 2026, with an additional aspirational target of 2,000MW,” Tunji stated.
The initiative is already seeing results. Under the pilot phase of the PPI, 10 power transformers and 10 mobile substations were installed and commissioned nationwide as of October 2023, laying the groundwork for broader implementation.
Minister Adelabu emphasized that the Siemens Power Project had seen little movement under previous administrations but has gathered significant momentum since May 29, 2023, when the current government assumed office.
“There is no doubt that the Siemens project has witnessed significant improvements since the inauguration of this administration,” he said. “What we’ve achieved in less than a year is proof of our commitment to transforming the power sector.”
In 2024, the Federal Government began key initiation activities for the main phase of the PPI, while the Federal Government Power Company has executed numerous transmission upgrades that have added over 700MW in wheeling capacity.
These developments have already started to translate into improved power delivery for industrial clusters, universities, businesses, and residential areas across the country.
Adelabu reaffirmed the Ministry’s resolve to continue pushing forward, saying, “Our focus remains on delivering measurable results that will transform electricity access and reliability for all Nigerians.”
