FG Unveils $18.2 Billion Super Grid Project To Revolutionise Power Sector

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish a $18.2 billion super grid aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s ageing and fragile power infrastructure.

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, made the announcement on Thursday during the commissioning of a 63MVA, 132/33kV mobile substation at the Eleyele Transmission Substation in Ibadan, Oyo State. The project forms part of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) spearheaded by the FGN Power Company, in partnership with Siemens Energy.

Adelabu confirmed that the National Assembly approved the $18.2 billion loan facility on Wednesday to finance the development of a new, more resilient super grid—an initiative he described as both a “backup” and a “fallover” grid.

“This will go beyond rehabilitating our current grid, which has suffered years of neglect and is now obsolete and inefficient. We are laying the groundwork for a parallel, more robust transmission network,” Adelabu stated.

He further explained that Nigeria currently operates a single national grid, which leaves the system highly vulnerable. “With a super grid in place, energy transmission can be rerouted in times of disruption, ensuring greater reliability and coverage,” he added.

The Minister reassured the public of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to delivering the project, stressing its transformational potential for Nigeria’s power delivery ecosystem.

On the commissioning of the Eleyele substation, Adelabu noted that the facility would boost transmission wheeling capacity by 50.4MW, directly impacting households and businesses in Eleyele, Apete, Ologun-Eru, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Sango, and Bodija.

“This infrastructure will unlock economic potential by improving power supply and creating an enabling environment for new businesses to thrive,” he said.

The Managing Director of FGN Power Company, Mr Kenny Anuwe, described the substation as a state-of-the-art solution tailored to address Nigeria’s persistent power bottlenecks.

Similarly, Francis Agoha, MD/CEO of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC)—represented by Folasade Sanya, Head of Technical Services—hailed the development as a significant milestone in the nation’s power sector reform journey.

In his remarks, Oba Dauda Omotosho, the Alawotan of Awotan, commended President Tinubu and the Minister for the project, while urging IBEDC to ensure the availability of prepaid meters and consistent power supply for the benefiting communities.