February 19, 2015 – Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a consortium led by FirstGate Group to build two gas fired solar power plants in Nigeria.
The two plants will each generate 1,000megawatts, making it a total of 2,000 megawatts. The project is expected to be completed in a period of 4 to 5 years at a cost of $2billion.
Chief Executive, FirstGate Business Intermediaries Ltd, Mr. Kelvin Asogwa who signed in behalf of the consortium promised that the project will assist in the realization of Mr. President’s Power Sector Transformation which is cruising at a high speed.
Asogwa said the consortium will train a total of 74,000 Nigerian youths in various technical trades.
“The partnering overseas companies have accepted to train Nigerians after which they would be engaged when the plant must have come on stream”, he said.
Tagged tax-holiday, the scheme according to Asogwa will train Nigerian youths and that the group has the muscle and assured that the dream will come true.
He said the group has acquired 27,000 hectares of land in Kogi State for the project.
Speaking at the event, the minister commended FirstGate Group for this initiative and indeed working closely with the South-Koreans who have developed solar energy technology well ahead of others.
The Minister warned FirstGate Group to make haste while the sun shines by executing the content of the agreement, stressing that MoU not realized soon will become dead.
The Minister also promised to assist in the areas of licensing, permits and reports, stressing that the Ministry will ensure that all these processes are hastened.
