By Seun Ibiyemi
Nigeria is set to attract a major investment in local power equipment manufacturing following a commitment by Chinese equipment manufacturer TBEA to establish a power and energy equipment industrial park in the country.
The commitment was secured by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, during a high-level meeting at TBEA’s headquarters in Beijing as part of his working visit to engage original equipment manufacturers and technical partners involved in the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
The proposed industrial park is expected to position Nigeria as a manufacturing and export hub for critical power-sector equipment while reducing the country’s dependence on imported components.
It is also expected to create jobs, support technology transfer and develop a network of indigenous suppliers for the power industry.
Tegbe described TBEA as a strategic long-term development partner rather than simply a contractor, stressing that the Federal Government was seeking investors willing to bring capital, technology and local capacity to Nigeria.
Beyond the proposed industrial park, TBEA renewed its commitment to accelerate ongoing transmission and distribution projects across Nigeria.
The projects include infrastructure expected to unlock more than 2,000 megawatts of stranded power capacity and strengthen bulk electricity supply to the Federal Capital Territory.
Tegbe pressed for faster completion of projects under the Presidential Power Initiative, stressing that infrastructure that has already been contracted and substantially developed must be completed so Nigerians can begin to benefit from the investments.
He also called for the extension of planned grid infrastructure to Nigeria’s East-West corridor to improve electricity access and support economic activities along the route.
The discussions also explored opportunities for the development of electric-vehicle charging infrastructure in Nigeria, opening another potential investment area as the country’s power system evolves around renewable energy and storage technologies.
READ ALSO:NAFDAC targets markets, pharmacies with 600-strong pharmacists reserve
The engagement forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to attract Chinese investment and technical expertise into Nigeria’s power sector.
The proposed TBEA industrial park, if realised, would represent a shift from Nigeria’s traditional reliance on imported power equipment towards local manufacturing and export-oriented production.
The government’s broader objective is to strengthen the electricity value chain, reduce equipment import dependence, unlock stranded generation capacity and build a power sector capable of supporting industrialisation, job creation and sustained economic growth.
