The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has secured commitments from leading Chinese power engineering firms and financial institutions to accelerate the delivery of Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) projects and expand Chinese investment across Nigeria’s electricity value chain.
The commitments were reached during a series of high-level engagements in Beijing as part of the ongoing Nigeria-China power sector mission.
The discussions focused on converting partnerships into bankable projects, securing financing and delivering infrastructure capable of producing measurable improvements in electricity supply, including additional megawatts, energised transmission lines and more reliable power.
At a strategic meeting with Sinomach Group and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), two major contractors involved in Nigeria’s generation and transmission programmes, Tegbe pushed for accelerated completion schedules for ongoing PPI projects.
He also called for a shift from conventional engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) arrangements to broader partnerships that would see Chinese companies co-invest in Nigerian power infrastructure.
Under the proposed model, the Chinese partners would contribute capital, technology and technical expertise to projects covering generation, transmission, hydropower and related industrial investments.
Building on CMEC’s existing presence in Nigeria, the minister said the partnership should deliver faster project completion, increase wheeling capacity and unlock blended financing arrangements.
Tegbe also visited the China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) to advance cooperation on Nigeria’s transmission network, where inadequate capacity and bottlenecks have continued to affect electricity delivery to homes and businesses.
As part of efforts to expand transmission infrastructure, 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 confirm that equipment destined for Nigerian transmission projects meets required technical standards before shipment, helping to reduce installation delays and technical risks after the materials arrive in Nigeria.
The minister also sought greater Chinese investment in industries that consume significant amounts of electricity while contributing to economic growth.
He invited Chinese companies to explore investments in steel, automotive manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold-chain logistics and sugar processing.
Tegbe proposed a structured Nigeria-China industrial cooperation platform to identify, assess and develop bankable projects aligned with Nigeria’s industrialisation priorities.
According to the minister, linking new generation and transmission capacity with major industrial users would help create jobs while improving the commercial viability of the power sector.
The engagements form part of the Ministry of Power’s broader strategy to use international partnerships to mobilise investment, expand electricity infrastructure, increase system capacity and improve reliability while attracting new industrial opportunities to Nigeria.
