The President, Bola Tinubu, on Friday, ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to complete the 350 megawatts power project currently being constructed in the Federal Capital Territory in three years.
He gave the order in Abuja, at the Presidential Groundbreaking of the 350MW project, which was the first phase of the planned capacity of 7,350MW Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant.
Tinubu noted that the 350MW power plant was extremely necessary for Nigeria’s economic growth.
He said it was his administration’s first bold step to establish a strong power sector to drive the economy.
At the event, Tinubu told the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, that, “A three-year project must be three years. Nigerians are watching and they are anxious of all promises made and these promises must be kept,”
He urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, among others, to ensure that NNPCL completed the project in record time.
“I’m reassuring Nigerians that this government is determined to improve your lives,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that he promised to make electricity stable in Nigeria during his campaign for the position of President.
“All power distribution bottlenecks will be removed,” he said.
He said the early commencement of the project by his administration showed, “Our determination to bring positive change to Nigerians,” and that, “This administration will reduce power-related hardship in Nigeria.”
On his part, the NNPCL boss said there was significant natural gas resources of over 209 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves and a potential reserve of over 600TCF in Nigeria.
He said, “As a commercial enterprise, NNPC sees this project as an opportunity to monetise our abundant natural gas resources, by expanding access to energy to support economic growth, industrialization, and job creation across the country.”
