Abia State is one state in Nigeria with a serious drive to achieve power sufficiency and possibly disconnect from the national grid in no distant time.
The state, in the last two years, has floated a robust power sector courtesy of strategic partnerships with public and private entities, with the sole goal of providing Ndi Abia with round-the-clock electricity.
The Geometric Power Plant and the Aba IPP are direct results of these partnerships. Today, 9 local governments in Abia State enjoy uninterrupted power supply, with the Government of Alex Otti planning to go off the national grid in the near future.
The promise of steady electricity in Abia State is a bankable catalyst for its already thriving manufacturing and commercial sector. Abia State is home to thousands of Small and Medium Enterprises, with the textile industry, leatherwork, Metalwork, and light engineering, as well as trade and commerce, taking centre stage.
The state has carved out a niche for itself as the home of Made in Nigeria products, with strong potential to lead the country’s exports with proper structure. Electricity is crucial for manufacturing; the state understands this, hence its effort to achieve power sufficiency in the near future.
Abia Adds Renewable Energy to its Power Sufficiency Efforts
The Abia State Government and a consortium of local and foreign investors have intensified efforts to establish a $145 million solar manufacturing plant in the state under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
This renewable energy project is to be sited in Umuelele, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
The proposed project is yet another PPP in the state’s thriving power sector. The PPP is between the Abia State Government, MD Nwakamma Nigeria Ltd, and Chinese technical partners.
The Abia State government, under the PPP, will provide land for the project and any other details necessary for its successful execution. The project executors, together with their Chinese partners, are set to invest $145 million in the project. The first tranche of funding is expected to drop by September 2026.
This latest development is set to complement existing Solar Power projects in the state, spearheaded by key political figures. Last year, the senator representing Abia North Senatorial Zone, Orji Uzor Kalu, established a Solar factory in his hometown of Igbere.
The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, also floated a 1,000 KVA solar project in his Bende constituency, addressing what he described as existing power supply challenges.
Abia State’s approach to power supply and other areas of public governance has earned its governor National recognition. As the 2027 general elections draw close, Alex Otti remains a favourite, given his strong political base in the state and a growing national appeal.
