By Stephen Simon
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to attract Chinese capital, technology and technical expertise into Nigeria’s power sector as the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, pressed major Chinese companies to accelerate the completion of ongoing electricity projects.
Tegbe made the demand during a series of high-level engagements with leading Chinese power engineering firms and financial institutions in Beijing, as part of the ongoing Nigeria-China power sector mission. The discussions focused on accelerating Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) projects and expanding Chinese participation in generation, transmission, project financing and industrial manufacturing.
At meetings with Sinomach Group and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), two major contractors involved in Nigeria’s generation and transmission programmes, the minister called for firm completion schedules for ongoing PPI projects and proposed a shift from conventional engineering, procurement and construction contracts to broader investment partnerships.
Under the proposed model, Chinese companies would not only construct power infrastructure but also co-invest in projects, providing capital, technology and technical expertise for generation, transmission, hydropower and related industrial investments. Tegbe said such partnerships should lead to faster project delivery, increased transmission capacity and innovative financing arrangements.
The minister also engaged the China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) on expanding cooperation in Nigeria’s transmission network, where infrastructure constraints have continued to limit the ability of the grid to deliver available power to homes and businesses.
As part of the delegation’s focus on transmission expansion, the Nigerian team witnessed a factory acceptance test for high-voltage cables and related transmission equipment at Hengfei Cable’s Changsha Industrial Park. The exercise was aimed at ensuring that equipment destined for Nigerian projects meets required technical standards before shipment, helping to minimise delays during installation.
Tegbe also invited Chinese investors to participate in industries that depend heavily on reliable electricity, including steel, automobile manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold-chain logistics and sugar processing.
He proposed the establishment of a structured Nigeria-China industrial cooperation platform to identify and develop bankable projects, with new generation and transmission capacity matched with major industrial users to create jobs, stimulate economic activity and strengthen the commercial viability of the power sector.
The engagements form part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to strengthen Nigeria-China cooperation in power infrastructure and industrial development. Chinese authorities have previously described the electricity sector as a priority area of bilateral cooperation and expressed readiness to deepen collaboration in power infrastructure and new energy.
