The Federal Government on Tuesday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Mutual Commitment Company (MCC) Limited, a Chinese firm, focused on renewable energy initiatives.
This development was disclosed in a statement by Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, in Abuja.
The MoUs were signed in Beijing during the African-China Cooperation Summit, facilitated by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), an arm of the Ministry of Power.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, and the Managing Director of REA, Mr. Abba Aliyu.
During the event, Mr. Adelabu remarked that the signing of the MoUs marked a significant and memorable day for Nigeria. He also commended the REA and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) for their accomplishments.
He said, “The MoU will go a long way towards achieving Nigeria’s vision for the renewable energy sub-sector of the electricity sector value chain. I know Nigeria and China have lots of things in common, one of which is the high population of both countries. And countries with high populations, have so much pressure. The first pressure is that of energy access and the second, is job creation.”
”So when you take steps to achieve both, it is a thing of joy. I am particularly happy that this is happening during the tenure of President Bola Tinubu, as it is in line with achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration for the country,”
Adelabu stated that the federal government has recognized that adopting a distributed energy model would significantly expand energy access for Nigeria’s rural communities, including rural businesses, universities, and tertiary health institutions.
He explained that this realization has shifted the government’s focus toward renewable energy, which is seen as scalable and capable of operating independently from the national grid, which is currently under significant strain.
According to him, as Nigeria continues to broaden energy access, the country also aims to transition to cleaner, sustainable, and environmentally friendly energy sources.
Earlier, the Managing Director of REA emphasized the significance of the ceremony, noting that it had the potential to fulfil the presidential mandate of building local capacity and creating more job opportunities.
Aliyu mentioned that the REA would closely monitor the MoUs to ensure that the commitments are delivered within the tenure of the current administration. He added that the REA would also track the economic impact of the initiative, including its contribution to GDP, the employment opportunities it would generate, and the resulting socio-economic activities.
Aliyu further stated that MCC was currently involved in Nigeria, constructing 12MW and 3MW power plants in Maiduguri and Kaduna, respectively.
Similarly, the Vice Chairman of MCC, Yan Zhezhu, expressed gratitude for the power minister’s dedication to Nigeria’s energy development.
He acknowledged that MCC had a long history in Nigeria, beginning in Oyo State and that they currently had ongoing projects in Maiduguri and Kaduna.
He also expressed appreciation for the cooperation received from both State and Federal Government authorities in Nigeria and reaffirmed MCC’s commitment to further engagement in the country.