Enugu State Government has unveiled plans to build a 660 mega watts coal-fired power plant in the state, the groundbreaking will take place July this year. This he said would guarantee constant and uninterrupted power supply in Enugu State.
Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah made the disclosure yesterday, Wednesday May 6th, 2026 when a delegation of Organised Private Sector Nigeria (OPSN), an umbrella body for Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA); Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI); Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), and the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House, Enugu.
Mbah recalled that Enugu State, under his leadership, was the first subnational to set up an electricity market following the Constitution and Electricity Act amendments that effectively transferred power from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List, thus paving the way for states to participate in all the power value chain, namely generation, transmission, and distribution.
“But we have gone beyond just setting up the electricity market to now being interested in producing the electricity here. I am pleased to inform you that in July we are going to be breaking ground for a 660MW coal-fired power plant.
“The outlay in terms of time for building the plant is 18 months. So, our target is to commission that power plant 18 months after the groundbreaking in July.
“What that simply means is that post-2027, you will not have your power go off in Enugu, whether for businesses or for residential. You are also going to have affordable electricity because it is going to be by far the cheapest in the country.”
The governor allayed concerns normally associated with coal, citing the low sulphur content and high calorific value of Enugu coal, standing at about 7,000 kilocalories per kilogramme.
“The interesting thing about our coal is that we have the best quality of coal in the world. Our sulfur content is less than 0.5 per cent. With 1 per cent you are happy, but this one is 0.5 per cent. The only country that comes close is Japan.
“So, instead of just exporting our coal, we are going to be benefiting from it by adding value, generating electricity with it,” he said.
He said the project was not a knee-jerk decision, as his administration had taken about two years to undertake the necessary studies and also secure coal assets to guarantee unhindered supplies to the plant.
The governor used the opportunity to reel out his achievements in the years he has steered the ship of the state to include investment in security, establishment of a one-stop shop for prospective investors, the ongoing construction of a technology incubation centre, and partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission to build an Artificial Intelligence Institute as part of his administration’s strategy to further improve the Enugu business environment and prepare for the future.
“In four years from now, AI will contribute $20trn to the global economy. We just do not want Enugu State to miss out on such huge funds. We want to be at the epicentre, not just as consumers, but as producers,” he stated.
In his speech, the leader of the delegation and convener Rev. Dr. Ugochukwu Chime said that the Organised Private Sector came to pay him a solidarity visit because he was one of their own who has shown what governance should be and whom they are proud of. Dr. Chime used the forum to appeal to the governor to use his good office to create enabling playing ground for investors to leverage and make Enugu the business hub of the Southeast pointing out that his leadership had “strengthened confidence in Enugu as an emerging destination for investment, commerce, enterprise development, and living.”
Chime who is also the Chairman, NECA South East Zone, Dr. Ugochukwu Chime endorsed Mbah for continuity and called for improved power supply and sustained implementation of harmonised taxes and levies, continuous improvement in access to land, affordable financing, and technical support for SMEs, among others.
“We particularly commend your administration’s significant investments in security, because we all know that business only goes to secure and peaceful destinations, urban renewal, and city expansion developments.
“The construction and rehabilitation of strategic road networks have improved mobility, enhanced access to commercial centres, and stimulated economic activities across the state,” Chime stated.
Other speakers, including Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, Chairman of Juhel Pharmaceuticals and National Employers Consultative Association; founder of Peace Group of Companies, Dr. Maduka Onyishi; ECCIMA President, Engr. Nnanyelugo Onyemelukwe; ECCIMA Vice President, Princess Egbo; and Chairman of Wilson Group, Chief William Agbo, all lauded Mbah for turning the state’s fortunes around as a centre for business and investment.
Some of the members used the opportunity to present several products made in Enugu to the governor.
Source: drumnewsonline
