TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says the rapid integration of solar power into Nigeria’s energy mix will increase electricity supply to underserved and unserved communities.

According to a statement by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, Buhari spoke on Thursday, when he received a delegation of Sun Africa LLC, a US-based solar project developer.

The president commended the interest of the US developer to invest in Nigeria’s power sector, pledging that the federal government would remain committed to collaborating with the private sector.

Buhari said his administration had embarked on several reforms aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s energy sector and improving access for communities across the country.

Buhari highlighted the recent signing of the climate change bill in November 2021, the implementation of the power sector recovery programme with the World Bank and the Nigeria electrification program, as some of the reforms his administration embarked on to address the country’s energy needs.

He added that the presidential power initiative (PPI) with Siemens was aimed at achieving end-to-end alignment across the electricity value chain.

“Initiatives like these will go a long way in developing local capacity through technology transfer and relieving transmission constraints through the generation and distribution of electricity in the local distribution companies franchise area, making off-take easier,” the statement quoted Buhari as saying.

‘‘The ministers of finance and power, as well as other agencies of government, will remain available at all times, to ensure the achievement of this significant project as part of our efforts towards achieving net zero emission by 2050.

‘‘I am pleased to note the technology transfer content embedded in this initiative as well as the employment generation potentials.

 “I thank you all for coming and look forward to receiving regular updates as you achieve significant milestones in developing your projects in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, Goran Rajsic, founder, Sun Africa LLC, said the company hopes to deliver solar power in multiple locations across the country – just as it had done in Angola.

“We will create something that will be of immediate need for Nigeria, and last for years to come,” he said, adding that the company was looking forward to “a partnership for energy and infrastructure, which will revolutionize both the industrial and agricultural sectors”.