The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and China Great Wall Industry Corporation is to establish a first-class transformer production plant in Nigeria, the first of its kind in the country and second in Africa.
This is in line with the Industrialization Agenda economic Federal Government diversification.
This was made known on Friday in Abuja during a visit to Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna by the Chinese technical team, led by the Chairman Chinese Liaoning Huaye Group Development Ltd, Anshan, Ma Liming.
The leader of the delegation and Chairman Chinese Liaoning Huaye Group Development Ltd, Anshan, Ma Liming said the visit was aimed at putting finishing touches in preparation for the September 2022 deadline for the commencement of work on the project as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, who doubles as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Agency.
He explained that 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.
According to him the partnership also resulted in the training of 60 NASENI engineers on the transformer production line and High voltage Testing Laboratory Plant as the third component of the project in the establishment of a solar cell manufacturing plant in Nigeria to popularize renewable energy in the country.
He said “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 targeted to achieve”.
“We will work together as good partners to ensure that Nigeria has the best transformer plant in Africa,” he said.
Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna who is the mastermind behind the projects went down memory lane on the relationship between NASENI and China which culminated in the establishment of the transformer plant in Nigeria.
He explained that the agreement between the Federal Government and the People’s Republic of China was signed in 2013, but due to some technicalities, the project could not take off.
He also said that more than 50% of the 15 percent counterpart fund to be paid by the Federal Government on the establishment of a transformer plant in Nigeria had been fulfilled and the ground-breaking and foundation laying ceremony of the project will be done by Mr. President next week.
Prof. Haruna also said due to the importance NASENI placed on solar energy, 98 NASENI engineers will soon be trained on Solar Cell Modular production in China.
“The Engineers will leave by September this year. If we have the Solar Cell production plant in Nigeria, we will have steady light and even transmit to other African countries. The benefits of having local Solar Cell Manufacturing plant in the country are enormous”, said Prof.Haruna.(FRCN)
