The Federal Government has promised that the Phase One of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) will boost the reliability of electricity supply to 40 million people across the country.
It also stated that the PPI would create 11,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria, as its aim was to improve the living standard of Nigerians through the provision of constant and affordable electricity.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this at the flag-off of the PPI training on network development studies by the Federal Government of Nigeria Power Company in Abuja.
FGN Power Company Limited was established by the Federal Government to coordinate the PPI which is being done in partnership with German firm, Siemens.
The minister said: “The first phase of the Presidential Power Initiative will provide over 40 million people with more reliable electricity supply, create 11,000 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.
“This will be from power system engineers to electricians and contractors, and this will in turn improve the standard of living while providing homes and businesses with constant, reliable, and affordable electricity supply.”
Ahmed, who chairs the board of FGN Power Company, named other board members to include the ministers of Power, Works and Housing and Justice.
Other members include the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, stated that in 18 months the project would add 2,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. This, he said, would raise the quantum of power on the grid to 7,000MW.
“The objective of the PPI is to increase the end-to-end grid operational capacity of the power system in Nigeria to 25 gigawatts, but the focus in the next 18 months, it will deliver the first additional 2000MW,” Aliyu stated.
He added: “This will create a rapid transformation in the on-grid electricity value chain, spur economic growth, create jobs and opportunities for Nigerian youths and enterprises.”
The Managing Director, FGN Power Company, Kenny Anuwe, said the training was the first Power System Simulation Software session under the Power Technology International from Germany and would touch all aspects of the power value chain.