The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the full operation of the 52-megawatt Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP) by 2025.
This assurance was given during an inspection visit on Saturday, December 14, 2024, by Ekperipe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas). The minister was accompanied by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, and Olalekan Ogunleye, the Executive Vice President for Gas, Power & New Energy.
In an update shared via NNPC’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, the company highlighted that the project’s first phase, a 32MW Simple Cycle system, is already completed and operational. The remaining 18MW Combined Cycle phase is expected to come online by 2025, marking the completion of the 52MW Integrated Power Project.
The MEPP was initially commissioned on March 2, 2023, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, with the primary aim of addressing the persistent electricity challenges in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and its surrounding areas.
The region had endured nearly a decade of severe power outages, mainly due to vandalism and insurgency attacks on critical power infrastructure.
According to the NNPC, these prolonged outages significantly hindered economic activities in the region, affecting livelihoods and stalling development. The MEPP was conceived as a strategic response to this crisis, providing a reliable and sustainable power supply to revitalize Maiduguri and its economy.
With the project’s completion on track, the NNPC is demonstrating its commitment to leveraging energy infrastructure to restore normalcy and spur economic growth in regions affected by insecurity. The MEPP stands as a testament to collaborative efforts to enhance energy access and resilience in Nigeria.
