The Federal Government on Tuesday said it would partner with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to implement a $200m electricity transmission expansion programme in Lagos and Ogun states.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, said the aim of the programme was to expand the transmission network in the identified states so as to effectively support industries in the South-West.
He disclosed this while receiving the JICA delegation in his office in Abuja, noting that power transmission was a major stake of government targeted at raising operational capacity, particularly in industrial areas.
Aliyu said in a statement issued in Abuja by his ministry that the consultancy services for line route studies, environmental and social impact assessment for the proposed JICA transmission projects in Lagos and Ogun had been completed.
The Senior Representative, JICA Nigeria Office, and team lead, Sasaki Taigo, said their mission was to confirm the content of the loan agreement and project memorandum of the Lagos and Ogun power transmission system improvement project.
THe said the confirmation was being done with relevant ministries and implementation agencies, adding that meetings with the necessary authorities would commence in order to have the loan agreement signed in March this year.
The Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme is to be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria through a loan of $200m.
The loan, being obtained from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, will be used to provide about 203km high voltage transmission lines and six high voltage substations.
The facilities are to be installed in five Local Government Areas in Ogun State and in one Local Government in Lagos, with appropriately 200 communities to benefit from the scheme.
The power ministry stated that the counterpart funding for compensation of Project Affected Persons, consultancy services for line route studies, among others, for the proposed JICA transmission projects in Lagos and Ogun, were reflected in the 2021/2022 appropriation of the ministry.
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