At least 360 rural communities and 16 others have been earmarked nationwide for the construction of 5,000MW of solar power generation and 2,500MWh of battery energy storage power plants.
This followed the signing of an agreement on clean and reliable energy between the Nigerian Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Sun Africa LLC, the largest US renewable energy company operating in Africa.
According to a statement signed on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the agreement comprises a development and Engineering, Procurement and Construction implementation framework for the construction of 5,000MW of solar generation and 2,500MWh of battery energy storage power plants for up to $10bn investment from the US government.
The statement is titled ‘Nigeria, U.S. firm sign agreement on clean, reliable electricity.
According to Shehu, “The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Washington, D.C by Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa, in the presence of President Joe Biden’s Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Amos Hochstein.”
In his address on Tuesday, December 13, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) had said: “As part of the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy, we set the vision 30:30:30 which aims at achieving 30GW of electricity by 2030 with renewable energy contributing 30 per cent of the energy mix.”
He also sought the United States’ support to achieve the target.
Shehu explained that “Sun Africa, Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy Limited, a leading US and international solar EPC company, and the Nigerian government have been working on the development of transformation grid-connected and mini-grids solar projects in multiple locations, including interconnection, electrification and smart meters infrastructure.
“To ensure the broadest and most comprehensive approach to access electricity, Sun Africa is also implementing solar cabins and solar home systems where the mini-grids are not economically viable.”
The project will be constructed in different phases across the six geopolitical zones and will provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to more than 30 million.
The first phase of the project earmarked for the first quarter of 2023 include: Gwagwalada, FCT (143 MWp PV size and energy storage of 68MWh); Gombe, Gombe State (270 MWp PV size and energy storage of 128MWh); Lafia, Nasarawa State (350 MWp PV size and energy storage of 166MWh); Geregu, Kogi State (174 MWp PV size and energy storage of 82MWh) and Ihovbor, Edo State (24 MWp PV size and energy storage of 11MWh).
The rest are as follows: Damaturu, Yobe State (150MWp PV size and energy storage of 70MWh); Bauchi, Bauchi State (143MWp PV size and energy storage of 68MWh); Yola, Adamawa State (174 MWp PV size and energy storage of 82MWh); Dutse, Jigawa State (150 MWp PV size and energy storage of 60MWh); Makurdi, Benue State (168MWp PV size and energy storage of 77MWh); Katsina, Katsina State (150 MWp PV size and energy storage of 70MWh); Kaduna, Kaduna State (180 MWp PV size and energy storage of 80MWh); Kebbi, Kebbi State (174 MWp PV size and energy storage of 82MWh); Kano, Kano State (174 MWp PV size and energy storage of 82MWh); Ganmo, Kwara State (143 MWp PV size and energy storage of 68MWh); Akwa, Anambra State (143 MWp PV size and energy storage of 68MWh).
Shehu also noted that all the technical and financial due diligence activities for phase 1 of the project have been completed for the first five selected locations for the grid-connected solar projects of up to 961 MWp of solar and 455 MWh of battery energy storage.
Subsequently, ING Bank, US EXIM Bank, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Debt Management Office have concluded all the financial negotiations and are closing the financing terms for up to $2bn.
Picture Desc: From left: CEO of Sun Africa, Adam Cortese, President Biden’s Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment(Standing), Amos Hochstein and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, at the signing of the agreement in Washington DC, USA, December 14, 2022
