Nigeria has obtained a $238 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aimed at reinforcing its national power grid.
This agreement was reached following high-level discussions led by President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) held in Yokohama, Japan.
In a statement released on Friday, President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria’s involvement in TICAD9 was centered on achieving “concrete results rather than just diplomatic gestures.”
“This initiative is about establishing strategic, outcome-oriented partnerships that yield real benefits for Nigerians.
“We are intentionally transitioning from planning to execution, from agreements to actual delivery, and from promises to quantifiable outcomes,” the president remarked.
The $238 million loan from JICA, supported by a counterpart funding of N19.08 billion approved by the Federal Executive Council, will be used to enhance transmission infrastructure.
The project includes the construction of 102.95 kilometers of new 330kV double circuit lines, 104.59 kilometers of 132kV double circuit lines, four substations with 330/132/33kV capacity, two substations with 132/33kV capacity, and various line bay extensions to improve efficiency and reduce system losses.
Adelabu described the agreement as a significant advancement toward stabilizing Nigeria’s energy supply.
“Our emphasis is on transmission infrastructure, operational efficiency, and minimizing system losses. This $238 million loan lays the foundation for that transformation,” he stated.
He also acknowledged Japan’s longstanding support for Nigeria’s energy transition.
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“JICA has consistently been a dependable partner, contributing in areas such as infrastructure, technical studies, training, and financing,” the minister added.
The government is also advancing complementary projects, including the $750 million World Bank-supported distributed access through renewable energy scale-up program under the Mission 300 Compact, which aims to provide clean energy to over 17 million Nigerians.
Additionally, three substations funded by JICA, valued at $32 million, are set to be commissioned in Apo (FCT), Keffi (Nasarawa), and Apapa (Lagos).
These projects will improve energy supply to households, industries, and critical facilities like the Lagos Port.
JICA has also been involved in capacity-building initiatives.
Through this agency, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria recently acquired advanced training equipment in Abuja to enhance local expertise, reduce network losses, and ensure long-term sustainability in the power sector.
