The Return of Siemens Project

President Bola Tinubu will be remembered by generations to come for many things, including the speed of his doings. One of the most recent of his dealings is the potential resurrection of the Siemens Power project, an initiative conceived by the previous administration. Now that the opportunity has presented itself, President Tinubu intends to animate the project.

Public commentators have nicknamed President Tinubu the junketing president due to his many travels. But these travels are proving useful, especially the one to Berlin, Germany, in which the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, received Tinubu. And since the occasion was the G20 Compact with Africa conference, President Tinubu pressed on all opportunities.

According to Tinubu’s spokespersons, the president made sure to bring up in discussion with Chancellor Scholz the Siemens Power project. In return, Scholz reportedly promised the support of the German government as long as the project’s momentum went beyond the initial stage.

The Siemens Power project was first brought up in 2019. It was one of the pincers of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) believed to be capable of reversing the power supply issues in Nigeria. However, despite setting goals for power generation for 2021 and 2023, as well as approving funds to get the ball rolling, the project handlers started to dawdle, citing the cost of materials.

With President Tinubu’s interest, the project handlers will likely pick up the pace. After all, the German government needs to see some sincerity before committing themselves to the project. On this front, Tinubu has much to do, especially since electricity generation is a big issue in the country, with businesses relying on it for dear life.

But a genuine implementation of the Siemens Power project blueprint could really change the adventure for Nigeria. Once that happens, Tinubu’s name would be carved on the roll of presidents who helped to fix the nation’s electricity structure, preparing the foundations for modern life for the nearly 300 million citizens.