Tinubu Demands Progress Report on Power Sector Agreements Signed At COP28

President Bola Tinubu has written to the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, to submit a progress report on the agreements related to the electricity sector, signed during the recently concluded United Nations Climate Conference (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In a letter seen by THISDAY on Wednesday, the president gave the power minister a two-week period within which to prepare and submit the document.

The deadline expires on Thursday, counting from the December 7 date when the minister acknowledged receipt of the official communication.

Aside other deals, President Bola Tinubu and the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz had presided over the signing of the acceleration of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) agreement between Nigeria and Germany on the sidelines of the event.

The deal was designed to ultimately add 12,000mw of electricity to the national power grid, according to Adelabu.

Marked PRES/89-1/001 and signed by the Principal Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-OkunoIa, the president demanded the specifics of such potential projects during the feedback.

He noted that he would also require information on project timelines and milestones as well as likely challenges to their execution.

“I write on the instructions of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to request that you kindly provide a written report on the advances made by your ministry in furtherance of the positive discussions, negotiations and meetings held during the course of Mr. President’s visit to Dubai, UAE to attend the 28th Session of Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (COP28).

“Your report should kindly provide specific details of potential projects, and agreements-in-principle, discussed in line with Mr. President’s drive for foreign direct investment under the banner of his Renewed Hope Agenda, and should include: Details of the most advanced projects and discussions and the identity of the counterparties.

“(It should also include) projected timelines and project milestones; and details of any obstacles which may have been encountered thus far,” the letter stated.

The letter further stated that the president had further directed that such progress reports should be provided periodically, on a monthly basis.

“I, therefore, look forward to receipt of your first status report within 14 days of the date of this letter for the consideration and further directives of Mr. President. Kindly accept the assurances of my warm regards,” it added.

At the event which took place from November 30 to December 12,  Managing Director of FGN Power, the special purpose vehicle for the project, Mr. Kenny Anuwe and Ms. Nadja Haakansson, Siemens Energy’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Africa signed for both parties.

Long delayed, the PPI, formerly known as the Nigeria Electrification Roadmap Initiative, was the outcome of the visit of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to Abuja in August, 2018.

An agreement was signed between the governments of Nigeria and Germany in 2019 to improve the power sector. But the deal appeared to have been stalled before the latest renewal. The deal was expected to see the end-to-end modernization and expansion of Nigeria’s electric power transmission grid with the full supply, delivery and installation of Siemens-manufactured equipment under the timeline of 18 to 24 months.

Furthermore, the agreement was to ensure project sustainability and maintenance with full technology transfer and training for Nigerian engineers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Emmanuel Addeh

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