…NASENI boss set to engage the world on carbon emission reduction, Nigeria’s homegrown tech for rural electrification
By Bukola Afeni
President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday evening in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, witnessed the signing of an accelerated performance agreement aimed at expediting the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) to improve electricity supply in Nigeria.
The agreement, consummated on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit, was signed by Mr. Kenny Anuwe, the Managing Director and CEO of FGN Power Company, and Ms. Nadja Haakansson, Siemens Energy’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Africa.
Meanwhile, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) EVC/CEO, Mr. Khalil Halilu, will on Sunday engage the world on carbon emission reduction, Nigeria’s homegrown tech for rural electrification
The PPI, formerly known as the Nigeria Electrification Roadmap Initiative, was the outcome of the visit of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Abuja in August, 2018.
An agreement was signed between the governments of Nigeria and Germany in 2019 to improve the power sector.
President Bola Tinubu, since assuming office, has consistently advocated the accelerated realization and expansion of the PPI. To achieve this, the project has been a major focal point in three rounds of bilateral discussions at several meetings between the President and the German Chancellor, in New Delhi, Abuja and Berlin.
The agreement signed today will see to the end-to-end modernization and expansion of Nigeria’s electric power transmission grid with the full supply, delivery and installation of Siemens-manufactured equipment under the time line of 18 to 24 months.
Furthermore, the agreement will ensure project sustainability and maintenance with full technology transfer and training for Nigerian engineers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Speaking after the signing ceremony in Dubai, Managing Director of the FGN Power Company, Mr. Kenny Anuwe highlighted Siemens Energy’s effective delivery of crucial equipment worth over 63 million Euros to the country since the project commenced. This includes 10 units of 132/33KV mobile substations; 3 units of 75/100MVA transformers, and 7 units of 60/66MVA transformers, currently being installed by FGN Power Company at various sites across Nigeria.
The project will also focus on identified load demand centres with a particular emphasis on economic and industrial hubs nationwide; execution of new 330kV and 132/33KV substations in target load centres with economic priority, in addition to thousands of kilometres of overhead transmission lines to connect new substations with existing ones.
Still at the COP28: NASENI Boss is to speak on homegrown technologies for rural electrification:
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, is set to detail the agency’s plans and strategies for rural electrification in Nigeria using homegrown technologies.
Arrangement has been concluded for the NASENI boss to deliver opening remarks and also participate at a panel session titled ‘Advancing Sustainable Rural Electrification through Homegrown Technologies’
Already, Nigeria’s President, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and other Heads of State, government officials, business leaders, investors, development partners, civil society organizations, academics and media are conspicuously participating at the global event.
In a planed event to be moderated by Al Amin Idris, CEO of Interface Africa, Halilu, will speak alongside Gunther Beger, Managing Director of the Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, UNIDO; Gov Mohammed Umar Bago, Governor of Niger State, Nigeria; and Miklós Veszprémi, Climate and Sustainability Expert Consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
The NASENI boss is also expected to discuss the roles which the agency is currently playing, back home, to promote development and adoption of homegrown technologies for rural electrification in Nigeria as well as other initiatives undertaken to advance sustainable rural electrification in the country all geared toward reduction in both local and global energy emission.
Since assumption of office the NASENI boss has made sustainable rural electrification via renewable energies one of his key priorities, having embarked on partnership commitments with government agencies and companies such as Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL) to ensure rural communities are provided with affordable renewable energy solutions and also homes.
This is being accomplished through provision of fund toward research and development, facilitating technology transfer, and support for commercialization of innovative solutions.
In September, NASENI and REA agreed to work together to deploy NASENI solar resources and other renewable energy technologies to increase electricity supply to Nigeria’s rural areas. Also in November, the Family Homes Funds Limited signed an MoU with the Agency to promote modern and sustainable building designs for affordable housing across Nigeria. According to NASENI’s EVC during the MoU signing event with FHFL, he said “the Agency will contribute toward reducing the cost of building materials so that Nigerians can build, own homes and to deploy affordable solar energy solutions”
Family Homes Funds Ltd is a limited liability company owned by the federal government of Nigeria and represented by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
The Agency has undertaken several initiatives to advance sustainable rural electrification in Nigeria, including establishing the Rural Electrification Innovation Hub, providing grants to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), developing renewable energy solutions, and collaboration with international partners to share best practices.
NASENI’s intervention in the energy sector of Nigeria economy also includes establishment of pioneering projects like local manufacturing of Solar panels in Nigeria (being First of its kind since 2011). NASENI Solar Energy Limited located at Karshi, FCT Abuja is wholly involved in production of solar panels, batteries and other appliances. The Agency has local capacity for design and manufacturing of Small Hydro Power (SHP) turbines and installation. It is also involved in the design locally and production of Pole Mounted Transformers and wind turbines, etc., all of which will boost the power situation in the country especially in rural areas. NASENI also produces energy saving bulbs through one of its Institutes-Electronic Development Institute (ELDI) Awka, Anambra State.