Nigeria Seeks $238m Japan Loan to Boost National Grid

The Federal Government is in talks with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a $238 million loan to expand Nigeria’s national electricity grid network. This move aims to improve the country’s power infrastructure, particularly in the transmission segment.

The loan will support the addition of new transmission lines and substations, including:

– 102.95km of 330kV double circuit lines
– 104.59km of 132kV double circuit lines
– Four 330/132/33kV substations
– Two 132/33kV substations
– Line bay extensions and substation upgrades

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, also announced a $190 million renewable energy loan facility supported by JICA. This initiative aims to scale distributed renewable energy solutions across underserved communities.

Nigeria’s partnership with JICA has yielded several benefits, including:

– Three substations funded by JICA through a $32 million grant
– Commissioning of a state-of-the-art training equipment for distribution engineers at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN)

The expansion of Nigeria’s national grid and investment in renewable energy are expected to:

– Improve power supply reliability
– Support economic growth and development
– Enhance the skills of distribution engineers
– Promote long-term sustainability in the power sector

The proposed loan and partnership with JICA demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to addressing its power infrastructure challenges and promoting sustainable energy solutions.