By Ayomide Otitoju
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has secured fresh commitments from Chinese power engineering companies and financial institutions to accelerate the delivery of Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) projects and expand investment in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Tegbe secured the commitments during high-level engagements in Beijing as part of the ongoing Nigeria-China power sector mission.
The engagements focused on converting partnerships into financed projects and completed infrastructure across electricity generation, transmission, project financing and industrial manufacturing.
At meetings with Sinomach Group and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), major contractors involved in Nigeria’s generation and transmission projects, Tegbe pushed for accelerated completion schedules for ongoing PPI projects.
He also proposed expanding existing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) arrangements into broader partnerships involving Chinese capital, technology and technical expertise in generation, transmission and hydropower projects.
The minister said the expanded partnership model should deliver faster project completion, increase transmission capacity and unlock blended financing opportunities.
Tegbe also met with China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) to advance cooperation on Nigeria’s transmission network, which remains a major constraint to reliable electricity supply.
As part of the mission, the Nigerian delegation witnessed a factory acceptance test for high-voltage cables and other transmission materials at Hengfei Cable’s Changsha Industrial Park. The test was conducted to ensure that equipment destined for Nigerian projects meets required technical standards before shipment.
Tegbe also called on Chinese companies to invest in power-intensive sectors, including steel, automobile manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold-chain logistics and sugar processing.
He proposed a structured Nigeria-China industrial cooperation platform to identify and develop bankable projects aligned with Nigeria’s industrialisation priorities.
The minister said the approach would help match new power generation and transmission capacity with industrial demand, while supporting job creation and improving the commercial viability of the electricity sector.
The Ministry of Power said the engagements are part of efforts to mobilise international capital, expand electricity infrastructure, increase system capacity and improve power reliability across Nigeria.
