Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maitama Tuggar, has announced that the Siemens gas deal between Nigeria and Germany will result in a significant improvement in electricity supply for Nigerians by the first half of 2024.
Speaking virtually from Berlin, Germany, Tuggar expressed confidence that the setbacks experienced in the past would be effectively managed by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. He revealed this information during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
Tuggar stated, “In the coming year, by the first half of next year (2024), there will be a remarkable improvement in the electricity supply in Nigeria.”
The Siemens deal, officially known as the Presidential Power Initiative, was initiated by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2018. The goal was to increase Nigeria’s electricity capacity from 4,000 megawatts to 25,000 megawatts by 2025. While this project faced delays, Tuggar assured that it is now fully operational.
The minister emphasized that the gas agreement between Nigeria and Germany is mutually beneficial and will not compromise Nigeria’s domestic gas needs. He highlighted the interconnected nature of the project, explaining that revenue generated from gas exports would be reinvested to further develop electricity and gas infrastructure across Nigeria.
Tuggar also mentioned that the completion of the ongoing Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) project would contribute to enhancing electricity supply in the country.
