Following the visit of Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the Bola Tinubu led-Federal Government has announced its intention to draw lessons from Egypt’s expertise in power generation and transmission, acknowledging the country as a benchmark in the sector.
Recall that Peter Obi, prior to the last election in 2022, revealed his plans to apply the knowledge gathered from his trip to Egypt if elected as Nigeria’s President in 2023.
Obi had on June 14 embarked on a three-day trip to Egypt where he understudied the country’s power, education, planning and finance sectors.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, shared this during a recent meeting in Abuja with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad.
According to a statement by Adelabu’s spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji, the discussion centered on strengthening bilateral cooperation in renewable energy and rural electrification.
Adelabu praised Egypt’s advancements in energy infrastructure, highlighting its success as an example for Nigeria.
He expressed Nigeria’s eagerness to learn from Egypt’s experience in energy generation, transmission, and distribution, noting that Egypt’s achievements also influenced Nigeria’s collaboration with Siemens to stabilize the 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,” he added.
Adelabu highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to connect remote rural areas to power through renewable energy initiatives, citing the economic challenges of extending the national grid to these regions.
“Many rural areas cannot be connected to the grid due to economic constraints, but we cannot neglect them. Through our renewable energy programme, we are bridging this gap. 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,” Adelabu stated.
He highlighted Nigeria’s vast renewable energy resources—solar, wind, and hydroelectric—underscoring the government’s commitment to leveraging them for sustainable energy access.
Fouad, in his remarks, conveyed Egypt’s eagerness to collaborate with Nigeria, particularly in bridging the metering gap and exchanging best practices in energy access.
He stressed the shared objectives and mutual advantages of deepening bilateral relations between the two nations.
“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 said.
