The Northern Corridor Project is jointly funded by the European Union and AFD, while it is being implemented by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The project is meant to strengthen a low-carbon economic growth in West African by improving the quality of electricity network in Nigeria and support the development of a regional electricity market under the West African Power Pool.
A statement on Wednesday by the Embassy of France in Nigeria, explained that the specific objectives of the project, in line with the Nigerian Energy Transition Plan (ETP) were to:
” reinforce globally the north-west network and develop access to electricity for the population;
“help evacuate/distribute the solar generated power from future projects in the North;
“participate in the WAPP interconnection project with Niger Republic.”
According to the statement, the project would build more than 800km of 330 kV double circuit transmission lines and construct or upgrade 13 sub-stations.
The statement further read that: “The grant agreement signed today represents the EU’s contribution to the project while the AFD contribution of €202 million was signed in December 2020.
The total cost of the project is around 238 million Euros including a 12 million Euros contribution from TCN.”
The expected impacts of the project include: 5GW additional evacuation capacity to be created under the project; Potential Transmission of 17TWh additional electricity every year; Possibility of several millions of people to have access to electricity and a better electricity service on a short term; creation of 600 jobs (500 during the construction phase and 100 in the operation phase).
Speaking at the signing of the agreement in Abuja, Mr Clement Agba, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning said that the project was is in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan 2021 to 2025.
Agba said that the signing of the agreement showed that Nigeria was on track in the implementation of the development plan.
“I want to thank the EU and AFD and the French Government for this intervention in the Nigeria’s power sector especially as it has to do with transmission lines and sub-stations.
“ Power is very essential and what we are signing today demonstrates this. ‘’he said.
