Segun Atanda/
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done the ground-breaking of the proposed 350MW Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant (GIPP) in Abuja being the first phase of the planned 1,350MW capacity project.
Speaking at the event, the Group CEO of NNPC Limited, Dr. Mele Kolo Kyari commended what he described as the progressive policy direction of the Tinubu administration to renew hope and reposition the Nigerian economy, as well as his commitment and support to the improvement of the Nation’s power generation capacity to spur economic growth for Nigeria.
He said, “Nigeria is endowed with significant natural gas resources of over 209TCF of proven gas reserves and potential reserve of over 600TCF. As a commercial enterprise, NNPC sees this project as an opportunity to monetize our abundant natural gas resources, by Expanding Access to Energy to support economic growth, industrialization, and job creation across the country.
“To achieve this national aspiration, NNPC has invested heavily in domestic gas footprint expansion projects through the delivery of the Trans-Nigeria Pipeline Project (TNGP) which includes the Escravos to Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS & ELPS II), the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline.”
Kyari described the project as a giant step towards achieving NNPC’s Gas & Power mandate to add 5GW into the National Power generation by 2024.
He added, “Currently, NNPC and partners are delivering about 80OMW to the national grid from Afam VI and Okpai Phase1 thermal power plants with a combined installed capacity of 1,100MW. We have also completed Okpai Phase 2 project that will add up to 320MW of power to the national grid and progress with other power plant projects across the country including those along the AKK pipeline route.
“The Gwagwalada IPP is among the NNPC flagship power projects along the AKK corridor. This is part of the 3,60OMW cumulative power capacity which includes Kaduna IPP (900MW) and Kano IPP (1,350MW). The project will be delivered in collaboration with General Electric (GE) as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and China Machinery and Engineering Corporation (CMEC) as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor. Just as we have recently commissioned the 50MW Maiduguri Emergency Power plant (MEPP), NNPC will continue to replicate similar viable business opportunities across the Nation to ensure energy affordability.
“For this worthy cause, NNPC wishes to appreciate the collaboration and support of stakeholders including the Ministry of Power, other relevant Agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Gwagwalada host community.
“We know that expanding access to energy will change the game. It will create a better investment climate and promote balanced economic growth, a win-win situation for the Nation and for NNPC as a commercial energy Company.”
Kyari reassured the President that NNPC Ltd, as an energy company of choice, “is committed to alleviating energy poverty and enhancing socio-economic development of our great Nation”.
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