Enugu State Government has secured a $200 million investment, estimated at about ₦300 billion, for a 100-megawatt (MW) solar power programme aimed at boosting electricity supply and providing more reliable power for homes and businesses.
The investment was disclosed during a meeting between Governor Peter Mbah and a delegation from Eauxwell Nigeria Limited, led by its Managing Director, Mr. Edwin Enwegbara, at Government House, Enugu.
The deal was facilitated through the state’s Climate and Development Investment Platform (CDIP), coordinated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate and Sustainable Development, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke. It represents the first major investment breakthrough secured through the platform, established by the Mbah administration to connect investors with government institutions, regulatory agencies and host communities.
Welcoming the investment, Mbah said the government’s priority was not merely to attract capital but to ensure that the project delivered reliable electricity at affordable rates to residents and businesses.
“We want an electricity market that encourages competition and gives consumers the benefit of competitive pricing,” he said.
The governor called for a review of the tariff assumptions and financial model presented by the investors, stressing that the need for investors to recover their costs must be balanced against the ability of households and businesses to pay for electricity.
“Cost recovery is important, but we must also ensure that the tariff is affordable to our people and businesses,” Mbah said.
He also pushed for a shorter implementation timeline and pledged the state government’s support in removing bureaucratic and institutional obstacles that could delay the project’s delivery.
Responding, Enwegbara acknowledged the need to balance investment sustainability with affordability, explaining that the final electricity tariff would be determined in collaboration with the relevant regulatory authorities.
He said the proposed 100MW programme would deploy distributed solar generation supported by battery storage to provide more dependable electricity for communities and businesses. The project is also expected to support productive activities, including agricultural processing, small businesses and other enterprises that rely on a stable power supply.
The investment comes amid ongoing electricity-sector reforms in Enugu, where the state government has assumed regulatory oversight of its intrastate electricity market and is pursuing a competitive environment capable of attracting more private-sector investment.
At the meeting, Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme at the Rural Electrification Agency, joined virtually to explain the structure, objectives and implementation processes of the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme.
Those present included the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who chairs the CDIP Steering Committee; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze; the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Sam Ugwu; the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo; and the Commissioner for Lands, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie.
Also in attendance were the Special Advisers to the Governor on Project Delivery and Power, Ozurumba Afigbo and Joe Aneke, respectively, and the Chairman of the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC), Mr. Chijioke Okonkwo.
The Eauxwell delegation also included its Director of Business Development, Mr. Kingsley Okenyi; Head of Project Management, Mr. Lazarus Agu; and Project Engineer, Victoria John.
The meeting further considered the separate Aninri electrification project, with Mbah requesting an urgent meeting with the community’s President-General and traditional ruler to resolve outstanding land-related issues and facilitate the project’s commencement.
