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Aba Geometric Power Plant: Support the Likes of Nnaji, Atiku Tells FG, Congratulates Abia Govt, People

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2 years ago

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By Eric Elezuo
A former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has celebrated the efforts of Prof Barth Nnaji, who spearheaded the establishment of the 188MN Geometric Power Plant in Aba, the government and people of Abia State, for the landmark achievement as the city moves dependency on the national grid to standing on its own, and achieving 24-hour uninterrupted electricity.
On Monday, the 188MW Geometric Power Plant in Aba, Abia State, was commissioned. By this weekend, Aba Power Limited, a subsidiary of Geometric Power, will commence the electricity supply to a section of Enyimba City. It has taken long, two decades in coming. But soon, the much-needed electricity to unleash the full potential of Aba, the industrial and commercial nerve centre of Abia, will surely make up for the long wait.
I congratulate and appreciate the efforts of Prof Barth Nnaji and his team to deliver on this project despite all the (political and) business environment obstacles. His tenacity and demonstration of the ‘can-do spirit’ is exemplary. It is remarkable that the governor of Abia state had stayed the course of the project that he had made an initial contribution to as a private sector person. Equally worthy of congratulation is the enterprising people of Abia.
This significant milestone is important for several reasons. Firstly, it improves people’s access to electricity – thereby improving the overall quality of life in Abia. This is a privilege the people of Abia must be thankful for. As we all know, more than 40% of Nigeria’s 220 million people do not have access to electricity.
Secondly, it is a big boost to businesses. Aba is one of Southeast’s industrial nerve centres. The other is the Nnewi axis. Inadequate power infrastructure is identified as the most problematic factor for doing business in Nigeria. More than 70% of firms in Nigeria use generators.
Thirdly, the project is delivered by the private sector – and an indigenous one to boot! It demonstrates the resilience of the private sector despite all the business environment issues. It also demonstrates the capacity of the local private sector to deliver on such huge and complex projects.
Why does this excite me?
I have all along been concerned that:
1. The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has over the years suffered from inadequate investments, failure of generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.
2. Nigeria’s core infrastructure stock is very low, estimated at 35-40% of GDP, below the international benchmark of 70% and below South Africa 87%, Indonesia 70%, China 76% and India 58%.
3. The finances required to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure gap are in the region of US$100 billion per annum – over the next 30 years. Nigeria does not have the resources to provide all of its infrastructure needs without sacrificing investments in education, health, and other social services. It should be remembered that Nigeria struggles to budget no more than US$30 billion annually.
For these reasons, I have been an ardent advocate of private sector presence in Nigeria. I have all along advocated for a private sector friendly business environment so we could leverage its enormous resources, including finance, skills, and technology. I doubt if the Abia state government would have been able to execute this mega project with the resources at its disposal.
My policy document outlines how Nigeria could prioritize investments to increase the stock and improve the quality of economic and social infrastructure across the country. We believe that narrowing the enormous gap that exists between the demand and supply of key infrastructure facilities in Nigeria is key to improving the competitiveness of our businesses, opening new economic and entrepreneurial opportunities, and promoting enterprise growth.
To achieve this, we pledged to undertake far-reaching institutional reforms and introduce innovative infrastructure financing models that will be appealing to the private sector to take risks and invest capital.
To this end, we pledged to:
· Facilitate the establishment of a private sector-led Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF) to mobilize domestic and international private resources for the financing and delivery of large infrastructure projects across all sectors of the economy.
· Establish an “Infrastructure Development Unit” (IDU) in the Presidency, with a coordinating function and a specific mandate of working with the MDAs to fast track and drive the process of infrastructure development in the country.
· Strengthen the capacity of the ICRC to promote Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the construction and management of infrastructure across the country.
· Broaden the scope of InfraCredit to complement the operation of the IDF by de-risking investments in infrastructure to build investor confidence in taking risks and investing capital.
· Open up the entire power sector from generation to transmission for private investments. Going forward, the goal of every developing country must be to achieve universal access to electricity, ensuring that every citizen benefits from reliable power for daily needs, education, healthcare, and economic activities. This would be in line with the SDG 7 (Sustainable Development Goal 7), which aims to ensure affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. In this wise:
· Nigeria must double efforts to support the likes of Prof Nnaji. Nigerian governments both federal and state must provide the Business environment that will make the private enterprises more competitive by (1) reducing their costs of set-up and operations (2) improving their margins and (3) making government policies more predictable.
· In particular, the authorities must create an environment that will enable distribution companies to recover full costs for power supplied to their consumers with firm commitment to a metering program for all customers. The scourge of electricity theft must be dealt with through a viable partnership between investors in the distribution companies and the government with legislative support for prompt action against electricity theft.
· Attention must be paid to improve access to Credit by enterprises willing to invest in the power sector.
· Government must incentivize the private sector to increase greenfield investments in the development of off-grid solutions to intensify electrification, particularly of rural communities not yet serviced by the grid. -AA
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2026 World Cup: Egypt’s Coach Hassan Alleges Rigging to Favour Argentina

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6 hours ago

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July 8, 2026

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Egypt’s head coach, Hossam Hassan, has claimed their last-16 match at the 2026 World Cup was rigged in favour of Argentina.

The Pharoahs frittered away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 on Tuesday evening.

But some of the officiating calls left Hassan angry after the game.

“I will say what’s on my mind regardless of consequence,” Hassan said.

“This was clearly a rigged match and the whole world saw it.

“And I want to say one more thing: if they want (Argentina) to win so bad, why call everyone to come and participate?”

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PFIPC: Suspend Gbaja Before Ordering ICPC Probe, Atiku’s Aide Tells Tinubu

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6 hours ago

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July 8, 2026

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Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

According to a Tuesday statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to thoroughly investigate the activities of PFIPC and all related matters.

The president ordered all ministries, departments and agencies of government to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records and assistance required for the expeditious completion of the investigation.

He further directed that the investigation be concluded and a comprehensive report submitted to him within 30 days, emphasising that the integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity, and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.

Reacting, Ibe said no fair probe could be conducted unless key personalities linked to the saga, including Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, are first suspended.

“It is flagrantly wrong for President Bola Tinubu to order the ICPC to investigate the so-called “fake” agency, Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) and its “phantom” Director General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew without asking the key suspects, including his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to proceed on suspension pending the conclusion of the investigation,” Ibe said in a Facebook post.

He added, “Not suspending all those involved in the #GbajaGate scandal is akin to them being a judge in their own case.

“Their continued stay in office while the investigation is going on, gives them the opportunity to interfere with the investigation process.”

Gbajabiamila has threatened to institute a N10 billion lawsuit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who has been parading himself as the Director-General of PFIPC, an agency the federal government insists does not exist.

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Probe Alleged Fake Presidential Agency, Tinubu Orders ICPC

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15 hours ago

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July 7, 2026

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President Bola Tinubu, according to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of a “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” (PFIPC) and all related matters.

The President directed that the investigation be concluded and a comprehensive report submitted to him within 30 days.

The directive follows the discovery of the fictitious PFIPC, which was never established by the Federal Government of Nigeria and has no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or other lawful act of Government.

The statement has noted that “One Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called PFIPC and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.”

Among the issues to be investigated by the ICPC, according to the statement, are the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation; and the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.

Tinubu further directed the ICPC to investigate not only the conduct of the principal individual and other collaborators involved but also the wider circumstances that may have enabled a fictitious body and a false claim of presidential appointment to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.

The investigation is to examine the provenance and use of false official documents; the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained; the opening and operation of any related bank accounts; the source and movement of any funds involved; and the role of any public officer, private individual, financial institution, intermediary or other person or entity that may have facilitated, enabled or participated in the alleged scheme.

The President further directed the Commission to identify any weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and to recommend immediate measures to prevent the recurrence of similar abuses.

All ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government have been directed to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records and assistance required for the expeditious completion of the investigation.

President Tinubu stated that the integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.

The President directed that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.

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