US Offers $1.5m To Boost Nigeria’s Power Sector

The United States Government says it will provide $1.5 million as technical support to help meet Nigeria’s power sector priorities.

US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton announced the plan last Thursday at a joint news conference with Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Mr Odein Ajumogobia, at the State Department in Washington D.C after a closed door meeting.

Clinton said the fund was an outcome of the June meeting of the energy and investment working group of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) of the two countries.

The group had discussed electricity generation and managing Nigeria’s energy resources, including gas, oil and renewable energy.

“Revenue from Nigeria’s oil reserves should be used to promote sustainable, broad-based prosperity for all Nigerians. 

“And today I was very pleased to inform the foreign minister that the US will provide $1.5 million in technical support to help meet Nigeria’s power sector priorities,’’ she said.

The US secretary of state announced that in September, the Niger Delta and regional security working group of BNC would meet in Washington to discuss ways to resolve the grievances of people living in the Niger Delta.

She said the meeting would also proffer ways to strengthen coordination of regional security issues by both countries.

“The minister and I discussed this particularly in relation to the Gulf of Guinea. 

“Strong institutions and sound strategies for economic development, infrastructure, environmental protection, and the delivery of social services are necessary for progress in the Niger Delta,” she said. 

 Clinton noted that the US-Nigeria Commission had made a lot of progress, adding, “we’ll continue to work with Nigeria”.

She applauded the accomplishments of the Nigerian people as the country marks its 50th independence anniversary on October 1.

Ajumogobia thanked the US government for its commitment to Nigeria, particularly ensuring peace, security and prosperity in the Niger Delta region.

“I look forward to the meeting in Washington in September. 

“I hope to be able to look in on that meeting and hope that we can make as much progress in that area as we have done with the other meetings on good governance, transparency, integrity, and energy and investment,” he said.