President Tinubu reaffirms Nigeria’s energy commitment at Tanzania summit

President Bola Tinubu has concluded a two-day visit to Tanzania, where he joined fellow African leaders for the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

The high-level meeting, held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, aimed to address electricity access for 300 million people across the continent by 2030.

The Summit, hosted by Tanzania in collaboration with the African Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank Group, culminated in the adoption of the Dar es Salaam Declaration. This landmark agreement, signed by leaders from 12 countries, including Nigeria, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, underscores a collective commitment to expand electricity access through National Energy Compacts tailored to the specific challenges of each nation.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, President Tinubu lauded development partners, particularly the AfDB and the World Bank, for their critical role in driving energy access on the continent. “Let us work together to create a brighter future for our citizens—where every African can access reliable and affordable energy,” he urged.

The Nigerian leader reaffirmed his administration’s ambition to provide sustainable and affordable electricity to the country’s unelectrified population by 2030. President Tinubu highlighted progress achieved through international partnerships, including AfDB’s $1.1 billion programme set to electrify 5 million Nigerians by 2026 and the World Bank’s $750 million support for distributed energy access, expected to benefit over 16 million people.

He also pointed to transformative projects such as the Nigeria Desert to Power initiative and the Nigeria-Grid Battery Energy Storage System, which will collectively provide power for an additional 2 million citizens. “Africa is rich in energy resources, yet millions of our citizens still lack access to reliable and affordable energy. This situation is unacceptable,” Tinubu emphasised, calling for increased regional collaboration.

At the Summit, Nigeria unveiled its National Energy Compact, which outlines ambitious reforms, including investments in renewable energy, transmission infrastructure, and clean cooking solutions. The document estimates a total investment of $23.2 billion for last-mile electrification, with funding from both public and private sectors.

Further demonstrating its leadership, Nigeria announced significant advancements in renewable energy and electric mobility. Tinubu disclosed the federal government’s plans to establish an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure programme and revealed that the first 100 electric buses have already arrived in the country.

President Tinubu thanked development partners, including the UN Sustainable Energy for All, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Global Energy Alliance for Development, for their unwavering support. He commended the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for its $70 million investment in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector through the DARES programme, implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency.

“Nigeria’s energy sector reforms have attracted over $6 billion in new investments in 2024 alone, and we are committed to building on this success in the coming years,” Tinubu said.

The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit concluded with renewed pledges from leaders to prioritise energy access as a critical driver of economic growth and social development across the continent.