Nigeria to secure $200m loan from Japan for power transmission lines
The Federal government has disclosed plans to secure a $200million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to provide about 203KM high voltage transmission lines and six high voltage substations in selected communities in Ogun and Lagos States.
Abubakar Aliyu, Minister of Power, while receiving the JICA delegation in his office, said the deal was aimed at promoting best practices particularly to infrastructural development in the electricity supply industry in Nigeria.
According to him, the transmission rehabilitation and expansion programme which will be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria will provide about 203KM high voltage transmission lines and 6 high voltage substations which cover 5 LGAs in Ogun State and 1 LGAs in Lagos State with appropriately 200 communities affected.
“The counterpart funding for compensation of Project Affected Persons (PAP), Consultancy services for line route studies, environmental and social impact assessment, environmental social management plan for the proposed JICA transmission projects in Lagos and Ogun states is reflected in the 2021/ 2022 appropriation of the Ministry,” he said.
Noting that transmission is a major stake of government which is targeted at raising operational capacity to an appreciable level particularly at areas where industries are rapidly expanding, Abubakar said that consultancy services for line route studies, environmental and social impact assessment, environmental social management plan for the proposed JICA transmission projects in Lagos and Ogun states has been completed.
In his remark, Sasaki Taigo, senior representative of JICA, said their mission was to confirm the content of loan agreement and project memorandum of the Lagos and Ogun power transmission system improvement project with relevant Ministries and implementation Agencies among others.
He further said meetings with relevant authorities will commence with the aim of having the loan agreement signed in March, 2022.
Business Day