JAPAN DONATE SOLAR POWER TO NIGERIA TO BOOST ELECTRICITY IN THE COUNTRY

The Japanese Government, through
its agency, Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA), has
donated solar power worth $9.7
million to the Federal Government to
boost electricity in the country. The
Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr
Sadanobu Kusaoke, disclosed this in
Abuja on Tuesday during the
inauguration of the project.
Kusaoke stated that Japan considered
the power sector as one of the most
important areas to enhance
Nigeria`s socio-economic
development. “Since from 1970s,
Japan has helped to finance power
sector to increase the capacity of
power in Kainji dam hydro power
station. “This is the 10th project of
power sector by the Japan`s
Government since then and this will
not be our last. “
He said the project which entailed
the introduction of clean energy by
solar electricity was donated by the
government of Japan to boost power
and water supply at Usman Dam
Water Treatment Plant. “The project
is being executed with grant
assistance worth Nine Hundred and
Eighty Million Japanese YEN
(980,000,000 JPY) (equivalent to
approximately 9.7 million USD)
through JICA, “ he said.
According to Kusaoke, stable power
supply is crucial to support industry
and to improve economy and the
lives of people. The Ambassador
emphasised the importance of stable
power supply to Nigeria`s quest to
diversify her economy.
He commended the designer of the
project, Toyota Tsusho Corporation,
for its design, management and the
completion of the project on
schedule. Kusaoke, who explained
that the project was capable of
generating 1,496MWH, added that
this would result in reduction of
N31.5 million per year for payment
of the electricity bill.
Earlier, Mr Hirotaka Nakamura,
Chief Representative of JICA, Nigeria
office, said improving core
infrastructure including power
sector in Nigeria was one of the
priority areas of the agency in
Nigeria. According to Nakamura,
developing alternative energy
resources such as solar, wind and
hydropower will boost electricity in
the country.
He explained that the project was
designed to introduce a
demonstration unit of solar
electricity generation system with a
view to increasing its economic
strength on a sustainable basis.
According to the JICA official, with
the Japanese assistance, about 1.2
mw of grid connected solar
generation will be gained at Usman
Dam Water Treatment Plant to
supplement electricity supply from
the national grid.
“Following successful tests on the
installed solar system, the first phase
of the project with generation
capacity of 975kwp is being
commissioned today. “The second
phase will bring additional 207kwp
generation to this system hopefully
in January 2017. “
Nakamura further stated that the
project would contribute to the
improvement of quality water supply
in the Federal Capital Territory. He,
therefore, appealed to the FCT
administration through its water
board to handle the project with care
and also provide sufficient funds to
maintain the generation system.
In his remark, Alhaji Hudu Bello, the
Director, FCT Water Board, who
expressed gratitude to the
government of Japan and its agency
JICA, said the project would improve
revenue accruable from the water
sector in the FCT. “This is elaborate
project that will improve water
supply to the residents of Abuja; it
will also reduce the rate at which we
consume diesel to pump water, “ he
said.
Bello said the project would reduce
the cost of generating electricity and
also contribute power to the national
grid to improve supply within the
nation`s capital