The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) will in September perform the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony of a first class Transformer Production Plant in Nigeria, and the second in Africa.
Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, while hosting the Chinese technical partners on Thursday in Abuja, said the September deadline was given by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the chairman of the governing board of the agency.
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Haruna said the agreement was first signed in 2013 between the federal government and the People’s Republic of China, but the project could not take off due to some technicalities.
He said more than 50 per cent of the 15 per cent counterpart fund had been paid by Nigeria.
He said the visit by the Chinese technical partner to Nigeria was to ensure that all the finishing touches on the commencement of construction of the projects were done with for effective take-off in September.
Haruna said, “For any nation to have a steady power supply, it must have these three important projects: the solar cell production plant, the high voltage testing laboratory and the transformer production line. You cannot have permanent and steady power supplies when you import all the components of electricity as currently obtained in Nigeria.”
He said that due to the importance which NASENI placed on solar energy, 98 NASENI engineers would soon be trained in solar cell modular production in China.
Leader of the delegation and Chairman, Chinese Liaoning Huaye Group Development Ltd, Anshan, Ma Liming, said Nigeria and China had a long lasting relationship which led to the signing of the agreement on the building of the first transformer manufacturing plant in Nigeria.
“NASENI and China would continue to work together to ensure the attainment of the industrialization agenda of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which the three projects have as targets to be kick-started with the building of a first class Transformer Plant in Africa to be located in Nigeria.
“We will work together as good partners to ensure that Nigeria has the best transformer plant in Africa,” he said.
