Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has performed the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the installations of 1×7.5MVA, 33/11KV Injection Substation, 1KM of 33KV Line and 1.2KM of 11KV Line, Installation of Two (2) Units of 300KVA Distribution Substations and the Deployment of 2KM of Low Tension (LT) Line.
The facilities are expected to tremendously improve power reliability, reduce transformer load stress, boost commercial activities, and enhance overall grid stability for Umuahia and surrounding areas.
Executed by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Abia State Government and partnership with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), the project is also expected to transform power supply in Umuahia and strengthen the electricity infrastructure across Abia State.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony held behind the State Secretariat, Ogurube Layout Umuahia, Governor Otti said that the Abia State Government would execute a 7.5MVA injection substation alongside the NDPHC 7.5MVA substation project to boost electricity supply.
The Governor who titled his speech; ” Energy and Development noted that the State’s matching facility was included in the 2026 budget.
He added that the dual project would strengthen power supply in Umuahia and support industrial growth across the State capital and neighbouring communities.
Governor Otti revealed that NDPHC’s contractors proposed a 12-month delivery timeline but insisted the project be completed within six months.
The Governor pledged that the State Government’s 7.5MVA substation would be delivered within three months of budget approval to ensure rapid completion.
He commended NDPHC for expanding power infrastructure and deepening its investment footprint through ongoing work at the Alaoji Power Plant, stressing that reliable electricity is critical for industrial growth, job creation and attracting investor confidence across Abia State.
Governor Otti highlighted recent gains in the Aba Ring Fenced Electricity Corridor as proof of sustained sector reforms improving supply reliability.
He said policy frameworks, prepaid metering, and upgraded distribution assets had strengthened power delivery and accessibility across the State.
Governor Otti said that Abia has acquired State wide distribution infrastructure outside Aba to accelerate electricity access for more communities.
He explained that the mini-grid policy and the Abia Electricity Regulatory Authority would ensure fairness, transparency, and investor protection in the power sector.
Governor Otti described Abia as open to long-term investment, offering a stable regulatory environment and strong market prospects for electricity developers.
The Governor urged NDPHC to prioritise accelerated project delivery, noting the strategic importance of the substations for households and businesses.
He thanked the Ministry of Power and Public Utilities for supporting the State’s energy roadmap and expressed optimism that the dual project would ensure sustainable development.
In her address, the Managing Director of NDPHC, Ms Jennifer Adighije, said that the project comprised a 1×7.5MVA, 33/11kV injection substation, 1kilometre of 33kV line, 1.2 kilometres of 11kV line and two 300kVA distribution substations.
Adighije, represented by the Executive Director, Networks, NDPHC, Mr Bello Babayo Bello, said that the facility would strengthen Umuahia’s distribution network which had faced technical constraints, and support projected demand growth from 18MW to about 25MW.
She said that the project aligned with the Federal Government’s power sector agenda under President Bola Tinubu and directives of the NDPHC Board chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Adighije commended Governor Otti for collaborating with Federal Agencies and investing in strategic sectors, pointing out that the State is now better positioned for improved power reliability.
In his remark, the Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, said the legislature had passed an energy investment law that would be used to support ongoing and future power projects and assured continued legislative backing.
The Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, in his address,
described the project as a major step in the State’s power transformation agenda that would address longstanding distribution gaps.
Mr Monday also said that the project would improve electricity distribution and ease pressure on the overloaded feeder serving the capital and neighbouring communities.
The Commissioner noted that the intervention supports ongoing reforms, including the planned acquisition and revitalisation of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company assets in Abia.
He thanked the Federal Government, NDPHC and the contractors for backing the project, which he said is central to improving supply reliability for residents and businesses.
In their separate speeches, Former lawmakers, Chief Oluchi Ibeji and Sen. Darlington Nwokocha, said that the project reflects rising investor confidence in Abia and reaffirmed the role of stable power supply in economic growth.
They commended the State Government’s investment drive, especially in infrastructure, education, communications and power, and lauded its emphasis on professionalism in public service.
