Nigeria eager to learn power infrastructure development from Egypt, says Adelabu

Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, says Nigeria is eager to learn power infrastructure development from Egypt.

Adelabu spoke during a recent meeting in Abuja with Mohammed Fouad, the Egyptian ambassador to Nigeria.

According to a statement on Sunday, signed by Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on communications and media relations to the minister, the discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, particularly in renewable energy and rural electrification.

Speaking at the meeting, Adelabu was said to have commended Egypt’s achievements in the energy sector, describing the country as a role model in energy infrastructure development.

He expressed Nigeria’s interest in learning from Egypt’s expertise in energy generation, transmission, and distribution; adding that Egypt’s success in the sector influenced Nigeria’s collaboration with Siemens to enhance the stability of its power sector.

“Egypt has made remarkable strides in energy transformation, and we are eager to collaborate and learn from your expertise. Our goal is to ensure reliable, stable, and affordable energy access for all Nigerians,” the minister was quoted as saying.

Adelabu underscored Nigeria’s initiatives to provide electricity to rural areas using renewable energy, acknowledging the economic challenges associated with expanding the national grid to remote locations.

“We have secured significant investments, including $750m from the World Bank’s DARES project and an additional $190m from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to support this initiative,” he added.

Adelabu reaffirmed the government’s determination to harness Nigeria’s vast renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric potential, to ensure sustainable power access.

‘EGYPT COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH NIGERIA TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS’

According to the statement, Fouad expressed Egypt’s commitment to collaborating with Nigeria, particularly in addressing the country’s metering gap and sharing best practices in energy access.

“Nigeria and Egypt have much in common, and there is immense potential for collaboration in the energy sector. We are committed to working together to achieve sustainable energy solutions for both countries,” Fouad was quoted as saying. 

While commending Adelabu’s commitment towards the expansion of power access across Nigeria, especially through renewable energy projects, he said Egypt is working towards increasing its renewable energy from the present 14 percent to 42 percent and Nigeria’s experience would be invaluable to his country.

“Nigeria and Egypt had a Memoranda of Understanding about power projects. We should activate the MOU and maybe we can start by holding virtual meetings, talking to each other to see if there are areas where we can learn from each other, because power is an ambitious plan especially, when it comes to renewable energy,” the ambassador said.

The statement said the meeting underscored the growing partnership between Nigeria and Egypt in advancing energy access and renewable energy development, with both nations poised to leverage their shared resources and expertise for mutual growth.