Nigeria Signs Pact with US Firm to Build 250MW Power Plant

A power plant
Chineme Okafor in Abuja
Again, the federal government has signed an agreement
with American firm, Missouri American Energy, for the
construction of a 250-megawatt (MW) power plant in
Nigeria.
Signing the agreement in Abuja, Minister of Power, Prof.
Chinedu Nebo said the government was optimistic about
the quick completion of the project due to its relatively
small capacity.
Nebo, who signed on behalf of the Nigerian government,
described the planned injection of 250MW into the national
grid by the American energy firm as a feasible feat.
He noted in a statement from the ministry that when
compared with larger power projects, it would provide
energy quicker and boost the provision of power nation-
wide.
By design, the plant is a thermal power plant and will be
cited in Rivers State.
“The government is desirous of access to power. Nigerians
are hungry for its supply and as such, ready to swallow any
amount of energy offered to us,” said Nebo.
According to him, the company’s citing of the gas-fired
plant in Rivers State, a hub for gas, was a welcome
development, as it would eliminate the threat of vandalism
of pipeline to the plant, given the people’s receptive
attitude towards public assets.
He, therefore, called for investment in such smaller
quantum to enable the country quickly realise its vision of
access to power.
Nebo further advised the firm to catch-in on the provisions
of the Power Africa initiative of President Barack Obama,
which Nigeria is amongst other first-tranche beneficiary
African countries, as well as liaise with General Electric
(GE) to firming up a buy-in into its recently launched
sponsorship programme for investors in the power sector.
In reiterating the government’s dogged passion for the
actualisation of the power sector’s vision of electricity for
all Nigerians in the shortest possible time, the minister
assured the company and other would-be investors of
every necessary support to them.
The statement also quoted the President of Missouri
American Energy, Henry Iwenofu as calling for
government’s collaboration in facilitating the execution of
the first phase of its project in the country.
Iwenofu explained that the consortium was already
discussing with development partners within the power
sector in striving to seamlessly execute the project’s
phases within its design template.