As part of efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, the United States-based Power Africa Coordinator, Mark Carrato, last week, arrived Nigeria for an official four-day visit to assess the current challenges and progress in increasing electrification efforts in Africa’s most populous country.
A statement by the US Mission in Nigeria, made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, said that during the visit, Carrato met with cabinet level ministers, federal regulators, service providers, and other development partners.
He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment, through Power Africa, to add 10,000megawatts to Nigeria’s generation capacity and three million new electricity connections.
“To date, Power Africa has trained over 4,000 people in technical energy fields in Nigeria”, he said.
Carrato noted how inspiring it was to see these new skills and tools being put to use, from companies who build investor pitch skills and can now negotiate with funders, to women who were better positioned to compete and succeed in the workplace.
“It was remarkable to feel the energy and enthusiasm of the off-grid sector at the Quarterly Off-Grid Stakeholders meeting where private sector companies along with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) strive to increase access to electricity,” Carrato said.
“I am proud that Power Africa has supported the achievement of 1.4million new connections in the off-grid space in Nigeria.”
Carrato also consulted the Minister of Power, AbubakarAliyu, on the recent launch of the Energy Transition Plan (ETP), and discussed Power Africa’s role in advancing Nigeria’s transition to net-zero emissions and sustainable energy access for all Nigerians under the ETP and the Presidential Power Initiative.
He also discussed power sector stabilisation initiatives, national metering programmes, and Power Africa designed data management systems with regulators and distribution companies.
The trip marks the coordinator’s first official visit to Nigeria and comes as a stop in a larger regional tour of Power Africa projects in West Africa.
Similarly, the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC)has met with commissioners of health from the 18 CDC-supported states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to share HIV programme progress and to plan for the future as part of strategy towards achieving HIV epidemic control in the country.
During the first consultative meeting of its type, state, agency, and implementing partner leadership discussed ways to sustain and build upon the recent successes of the HIV programme to achieve epidemic control.
Declaring the event open, US CDC Country Director, Dr. Mary Boyd, who commended the commissioners for their initiative during the Antiretroviral Therapy Surge effort in their states, noted that the programme exceeded expectations.
Boyd emphasised the need for strong state leadership of HIV programmes going forward, and expressed US CDC’s commitment to listen to, understand, and join states in their journey to epidemic control.
Almost two million people in Nigeria are currently receiving HIV treatment through the USPresident’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The US CDC supports about 1.2million of these people in Abia, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun states.
Other states include Ekiti, Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Gombe, and FTC.

BY: Nelson Chukwudi