By Sunday Elom
Nigeria has requested South Korea to consider citing the stand-alone mini-grid project worth $12.4million in each of the six geopolitical zones and one grid in Abuja.
The request was made last week by the chairman, Senate committee on power, Senator Suswam during an interactive session with the Korean ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young Choe.
Suswan had said that the meeting with the South Korean ambassador was called by the Senate committee on power to clarify issues regarding the stand-alone mini-grid project to be funded by the Korean government.
Choe had informed the lawmakers that all the four mini-grids would be sited in Abuja, the Nigeria capital, with the works and maintenance of the project to be handled by South Korean contractors.
While declaring South Korea’s willingness to assist Nigeria develop nuclear energy options to solve shortage of power generation and supply, Choe revealed that the nuclear energy options currently being used in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) are based on South Korea’s model and powered by South Korean companies.
The envoy explained further that the money was a grant. “The project is not a loan but grant from South Korea to Nigeria,” the ambassador stated.
Accepting the offer, the lawmakers however expressed reservations on the South Korean government’s decision to cite all the grids in Abuja. Suswam argued that the $12.4million being proposed for four grids in Abuja would be enough to build 12 grids, even though with smaller capacity but with greater desired impact across the country.
Supporting the lawmakers, during the interactive session, chief executive officer of Rural Electrification Agency, Salihijo Ahmad, said there is the need for the grids to be spread across the country for even profitability. He expressed reservation about the sustainability of the project and the possibility of having Nigerian companies work on it.
Responding to the demand from the committee, Choe said it would be difficult to change the original specification of the project, but promised that he would forward the request to his government in Seoul, the capital of South Korea for consideration.
Be the first to know when we publish an update
