FG targets 24hr power for industrial clusters nationwide

The Nigerian government has initiated efforts to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to industrial clusters nationwide, with a 50-megawatt project set to supply 24-hour power to manufacturers at the Idu Industrial Estate in Abuja. Minister of State for Industry, Owan Enoh, emphasized the importance of reliable electricity in reducing production costs, boosting local manufacturing, and generating employment at a groundbreaking ceremony for the power project.

Enoh explained that this initiative is part of the government's industrialization strategy, which emphasizes local production, value addition, economic diversification, and the integration of Nigerian industries into global markets. He highlighted that producing locally creates jobs and offers opportunities for employment to the youth.

The minister also stated that dependable electricity would allow factories to increase production, expand operations, and hire more workers, noting that industrial renewal is a long-term process that requires sustained cooperation among the government, private sector, and beneficiary communities. The project, managed by Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, will initially generate 10MW from a site near the AKK gas pipeline in Zuba, with the remaining 40MW to be developed within the estate following the extension of the gas pipeline.

The estate currently has a potential electricity demand of between 300MW and 400MW. Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, revealed that the government is adopting captive and decentralized power generation to directly connect electricity to industrial consumers. Tegbe highlighted priority industrial corridors, including the Lagos industrial axis, Abuja-Kaduna corridor, and Enugu-Onitsha axis, where the federal government aims to create or restore about 180,000 jobs in the next six months through interventions to improve electricity supply.