Ossiomo Power Plant Disowns CCETC, Says Not Partner Only a Contractor 

Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin 

The management of Ossiomo Power Company, Ologbo, Edo State, has disowned a Chinese firm, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Co. Ltd (CCETC) over ownership tussle between the two companies.

Ossiomo plant said that CCETC has neither been a partner nor a shareholder in the power company.

The Managing Director of the Ossiomo Power Company, Dr. Uwa Igiehon, who disclosed this in Benin City while fielding questions from journalists, alleged that the relationship that existed between Ossiomo Power Company and CCETC was that of owners (Ossiomo) and a contractor (CCETC).

There has been ownership tussle between the two firms that has shutdown the power plant for sometime now.

The Edo State Government recently expressed worries over the closure of the plant, noting that many offices and businesses hitherto connected to the power plant have been left in limbo ever since.

The managing director insisted that CCETC was only a contractor to Ossiomo Power Company (COPC), the project company, with no stake, until it switched off its engines.

“COPC is 100 percent owned by Ossiomo Power. There is no direct relationship between Ossiomo Power and CCETC”.

Dr. Igiehon, a renowned international developer, investments banker and a process engineer, was a managing director with the Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets, London and a director at the NatWest Markets, UK, has financed over US$50 billion of energy, oil and gas, mining, metals and infrastructure projects all over the world, including the US, UK, Canada, France, Spain, Russia, the Sultanate of Oman, Egypt, amongst others.

He stressed that he solely founded Ossiomo Power Company. 

He explained that the Ossiomo Power Company is one of the corporate players within the Ossiomo Industrial Park which acquired the landed property in Ologbo, noting that “Ossiomo Power facilities are within the Ossiomo Industrial Park which comprises the energy, oil and gas, metals, marine, agricultural sectors.

“In 2008, Ossiomo Industrial Park acquired the site in Ologbo from Oba Erediauwa. In 2013, Ossiomo Power was incorporated as a special purpose company for the power generation and transmission and in 2015, NERC granted the Ossiomo companies electricity generation, transmission and distribution licences.

“In 2017, Ossiomo Power executed Power Purchase Agreement with Edo State government on a “Willing Buyer-Willing Seller” basis. In 2018, Ossiomo Power signed a Joint Venture Agreement with CCETC following the introduction of CCETC to Ossiomo Power by Sinohydro/Power China, and in 2020, Ossiomo Power commenced 24/7 power supply to its customers.

“Between the year 2020 and 2025, Ossiomo Power supplied 24/7 electricity to millions of customers around the Benin metropolis before CCETC abruptly and violently switched off its engines thereby stopping power production and supply.”

Explaining the continued shutdown of the power plant, Igiehon revealed that on “September 5, 2025, Ossiomo Power started power supply from the Ossiomo’s 100 percent owned IPP2, again on October 5, 2025, CCETC used local thugs to shutdown Ossiomo IPP2 and disconnected it from the Ossiomo’s 33KV line and since then, our efforts to restart generation, transmission and distribution of power to our customers have been thwarted by the CCETC and its paid local thugs.”

However, speaking on the claims that CCETC has 75 percent of the shares of Ossiomo Power Company, Dr. Igiehon said: “It’s all tissues of lies. There is no direct relationship between Ossiomo Power and CCETC.  CCETC has never owned any shares in Ossiomo Power.  In 2017/2018, CCETC applied to join the project but Ossiomo Power refused to have a direct relationship with CCETC because of lack of trust.

“CCETC was supposed to contribute USD750,000 and USD53 million in equity and debt capital to the project company (COPC), but as we had earlier suspected, CCETC failed to meet its conditions precedent and has never been a shareholder of COPC.  The documentation at the CAC duly confirmed Ossiomo Power as the 100 percent shareholder of COPC since August 2022.”

Regarding the prevailing problems between the two parties, the managing director of Ossiomo Power, said the “issue is that CCETC failed to fulfill its obligations and breached all the agreements.  CCETC was supposed to construct a 50MW power plant for COPC but it never constructed any power plant and as at today, COPC does not own any power plant.

“It’s because CCETC is aware it cannot construct a power plant of its own, that is the reason they are using force to occupy Ossiomo Power facilities and using thugs to attack and vandalize our facilities.”

He continued: “In fact, Ossiomo Power started supplying power to Ologbo in 2021/2022 after more than six years of the community not having any electricity supply whatsoever after their disconnection by BEDC allegedly for non-payment and vandalism. 

“Furthermore, the Ossiomo Industrial Park contributed over N182 million as CSR to Ologbo community in 2025, alone” he added.

Reacting to the Edo State Commissioner for Power, Hon. Paul Usenbor, that the inability of Ossiomo Power to restart operations is caused by ownership tussle between it and CCETC, he said: “The commissioner’s assertions are false because there is no ownership tussle whatsoever.

“The only issue is that CCETC failed to meet its conditions precedent by failing to contribute the USD750,000 and USD53 million of equity and debt capital, respectively.

“Furthermore, the operating Ossiomo IPP2 power plant and the Ossiomo gas plant have no corporate nor contractual connection with CCETC, whatsoever. 

“For the records, these facts have been made available to the commissioner in meetings on various occasions,” he posited.

On the matter in court which the power commissioner claimed was stopping Ossiomo Power from restarting operations, the Ossiomo boss, disclosed that “the only reason for the stoppage of the power operations is due to the violent attacks by local thugs acting at the behest of CCETC.

“These facts have been made available to the commissioner on various occasions, and he is well aware of the details with copies of the relevant documents”.

Speaking on the way forward, Dr. Igiehon urged CCETC and all the other state players to act lawfully and obey the rule of law for the country to attract the right type of local and international investors to achieve its ambitions of major capital development.

Dr. Igiehon restated that “Ossiomo Power is determined to reinstate its power supply to its millions of customers and fulfill its stakeholders mandate of using its deep international engineering and financial resources, experience and expertise to contribute to the human and infrastructural development of Benin, Edo State and the Nigeria.”

When contacted a top director of CCETC, who simply gave his name as Mr. W, had alleged that Uwa Igiehon, the managing director of the company, has 25 percent equity shares, which was for the land and licences, while CCETC had 75 percent