The Nigerian government has formalised a $328.8 million agreement with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) to upgrade and expand the nation’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
This project, which falls under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), marks a significant step toward improving Nigeria’s electricity grid and addressing long-standing power distribution challenges.
Under this agreement, CMEC will oversee the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+F) of key transmission lines with voltage capacities of 330kV and 132kV. The work will cover a total of 544 kilometers, expanding Nigeria’s grid capacity to 7,140 megawatts.
Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu, who officiated at the signing ceremony in Abuja, emphasised that these transmission lines would directly connect power generation sources to consumers, helping to eliminate bottlenecks in the energy sector. He called the project a critical move to ensure reliable power delivery to households, businesses, and industries, thereby strengthening the economy.
“The expansion of our transmission network is essential to the delivery of stable electricity across Nigeria,” Adelabu said. He added that the government’s initiative under President Bola Tinubu is focused on modernising energy infrastructure to meet national needs.
FGN Power Company’s Managing Director, Kenny Anuwe, highlighted the importance of this partnership with CMEC in building a transmission network capable of handling increased power generation. He noted that CMEC’s involvement complements ongoing work with Siemens Energy on generation and high-voltage transmission systems.
Li Xiaoyu, Vice President of SINOMACH (CMEC’s parent company), expressed gratitude for the trust the Nigerian government had placed in CMEC. He said the project would significantly enhance electricity availability across the country.
