The Federal Government has announced plans to invest $800 million in building substations and distribution networks under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Bolaji Tunji, the Special Adviser, Media and Strategic Communication to the Minister of Power in Abuja on Sunday.

Tunji said the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu said this during a tour of the TBEA Southern Power Transmission and Distribution Industry in Beijing, China.

He said the minister was in Beijing for the China-Africa Cooperation Summit.

Adelabu said that the investment would be divided into two lots: 400 million dollars for Lot 2, covering Benin, Port Harcourt, and Enugu Distribution Companies (DISCOs) franchise areas, and 400 million dollars for Lot 3, covering Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, and Kano DISCOs franchise areas.

The minister expressed concern over the rejection of power by Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, which recently led to a reduction in generation capacity from a peak of 5,170 megawatts by 1,400 megawatts due to their inability to manage the supply.

He said that in spite of the setback, the government aims to increase power generation to 6,000 megawatts by the end of the year.

Adelabu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with world-class organisations like TBEA to realise President Bola Tinubu’s vision for the power sector.

”Especially in the areas of transmission and distribution of the entire power sector value chain as well as Nigeria’s renewable energy segment.”

Adelabu said that Nigeria had in 1984 generated 2,000 megawatts, and it took over 35 years to add another 2,000 megawatts.

He said under the current administration, power generation increased from 4,000 megawatts to 5,170 megawatts within a year.

The minister, speaking on the problems in the power sector which had hindered industrial growth, said this was due partly to the fragility of the Transmission and distribution infrastructure which had become old and dilapidated.

“This has led to a historical epileptic supply of Power to households, industry and businesses.

“More than 59 per cent of industries in Nigeria are off the grid. They did not see the national grid as reliable and dependable. So a lot of them now operate their own captive, self-generated power, ” he said.