Adelabu Hails $3.9bn China’s Investment in Power Sector, Seeks Deeper Collaboration

Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has called for a deeper strategic partnership between Nigeria and China to accelerate the growth of the electricity supply chain in Africa’s most populous nation, amid the ongoing $3.9 billion investment in two key projects in the country.

The minister spoke during a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, emphasising that such collaboration was essential to President Bola Tinubu’s plan to advance the local content advocacy of the federal government to preserve foreign exchange.

The minister praised the strong existing bilateral ties, noting that trade volume has reached $20 billion and highlighting crucial Chinese investments in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure. He specifically pointed to the $1.4 billion Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant and a $2.5 billion transmission project for the Eastern and Western super grid, funded through Chinese financial institutions. 

Stating that, “Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa and China is the biggest in Asia,” Adelabu proposed that the importance of the relationship warrants more frequent, quarterly meetings to review progress across all segments of the power sector.

While expressing gratitude for China’s support, the minister also raised two critical issues, urging Chinese companies to help develop local Nigerian capacity by training workers and transferring knowledge. 

He also called on the Chinese government to take stringent measures to discourage the manufacture of substandard products for export to Nigeria. Adelabu noted that while China produces high-quality goods, the proliferation of inferior items tarnishes its reputation and harms Nigerian consumers, insisting that “there must be a minimum standard.”

In his response, Ambassador Yu Dunhai reaffirmed Nigeria’s central importance in China’s foreign policy for Africa and offered the embassy’s full cooperation. He acknowledged the transformative potential of current reforms and expressed his understanding of the immense responsibility on the power minister, describing electricity as the “blood of industry.”