USTDA Director Announces New Cooperation Activities in Nigeria

May 22, 2014

(USTDA) Concludes Energy Business Development Mission with Grant Signings

LAGOS, NIGERIA – Today, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Leocadia I. Zak concluded her participation in the Energy Business Development Mission to West Africa with three grant signings for energy projects in Nigeria. Director Zak also announced USTDA's support for additional activities in Nigeria's power and healthcare sectors, as well as the Agency's plans to place a USTDA representative in West Africa.

"These activities demonstrate the Agency's commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth in Nigeria and throughout West Africa," stated Director Zak. "USTDA is proud to connect U.S. industry to Nigeria's efforts to ensure that reliable, clean and affordable electricity is accessible to its citizens."

With the grant signings, USTDA committed to fund a feasibility study for a 275 megawatt gas-fired power plant that will improve electricity access for customers across Lagos State. Another feasibility study will assess the viability and scale of a proposed gas-fired power generation project at the Sagamu Independent Power Plant. USTDA is also providing technical assistance for an investment plan to update and modernize Benin Electricity Distribution Company's network. (See the Fact Sheet linked below for additional details about each grant.)

Additionally, Director Zak announced support for a project to develop a comprehensive plan for implementing smart grid solutions throughout the power networks of the Eko and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Companies, which serve 16 million customers in the Lagos metropolitan area. USTDA will also fund a project that enables General Electric (Fairfield, CT) to partner with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health to assess the modernization of 10 existing – and three new – hospitals in 12 Nigerian states.

USTDA's future representation in Nigeria will be based at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos to assist in the oversight and implementation of its program activities in the country, which represents over a third of the Agency's investments in sub-Saharan Africa. The USTDA representative will be particularly focused on advancing the goals of Power Africa, a U.S. government-led initiative to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years.

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