by Roqeebah Olaoniye

Japan’s donation

On Tuesday, 23rd August, the Japanese government, through one of its agencies, the Japan International Corporation Agency donated a 1.2 mega watts solar power plant executed with grant assistance worth about 9.7million USD to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The building and installation of the plant was done by another Japanese corporation, Toyota Tsusho Corporation who also designed the project.

The project

Essentially, this is a solar power plant which is capable of generating 1,496MWH and would result in reduction of N31.5 million per year in electricity bills. According to the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, it’s renewable energy project but in this case, dedicated to the Usuma Dam Water Treatment Plant. So it supplements electricity derived from the national grid used to power the water plant at Usuma Dam.

However, only 975kwp is being commissioned on Tuesday. According to the Chief Representative of JICA, Nigeria office, Hirotaka Nakamura, “the second phase will bring additional 207kwp generation to this system hopefully in January 2017.”

 

So why is Japan being generous to us, one might ask …

As you should because Japan is starting to look like the gift that keeps on giving. First Toyota cars, then Katsuya Takasu’s suitcase full of cash for getting the bronze medal and now this?

Apparently, the Japanese government has been financing the power sector in Nigeria since the 1970s in order to increase the capacity of power in Kainji dam hydro power station. This is according to the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Sadanobu Kusaoke who claims Japan considers the power sector as one of the most important areas to enhance Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

Yet this doesn’t explain this huge act of generosity especially when you consider the fact that this is 10th project in Nigeria’s power sector by the Japanese government.

So why?

It is the scramble for Africa. No, not the one they teach about the Germans, British and French carving Africa up amongst themselves that has resulted in some of us speaking English, others French and you know the rest. We submit that there’s a new scramble for Africa and the Asians are leading the cause. China is leading the race and now the Japanese are working hard for their fair share of the market. And if you’re going to scramble for Africa, Nigeria should be a good place to capture right?

Are you doubting?

Just check this out!

It’s a map of the Japanese government’s major (that means there are others) projects in Nigeria as of April, 2016.

Spoiler: there’s only one Loan project in there.

How does Fashola come in?

Apart from the fact that he’s the Minister for Power, Works and Housing and it’s his job to be involved?

Just kidding. Valid question.

The Minister has made big promises about raising Nigeria energy mix in order to source power from solar, coal, hydro, wind, biomass, nuclear and basically every other means possible. In his words, Energy anywhere we can get it because energy is not enough.

He’s already admitted that just under 5,000 mega watts which is Nigeria’s peak  production yet is not enough to cater to a population of over 100 million and so the goal for now is to get incremental power supply in order to raise our energy profile to 6000 mega watts by the end of this year.

So this ties in with his with goals alright but why does it sound like the Minister wants us to think this project isn’t just a donation by the Japanese but a collaborative project?

How the Federal Ministry of Power, Housing and Works’ Twitter handle reported the development.

Describing this as one of the projects that define the current administration’s road map to power sufficiency, Fashola in his commissioning speech said “One of the things that this administration under President Buhari has promised is that we will continue with all projects that are feasible, that are viable and we will complete them, this project is one of the projects and it is now completed”.

Well I guess the Japanese government won’t be outing him anytime soon. And Fashola remains the better for it.

What do people think?

According to another person,

Whatever the deal is, Nigerians just want to see light!