ARIARIA MARKET INDEPENDENT POWER PROJECT (IPP) COMMISSIONING
Tuesday, 29th January, 2019
Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Rural Electrification Agency, is implementing the Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) which supports the rapid deployment of off-grid electricity solutions to provide clean, safe, affordable and reliable electricity to economic clusters (e.g., market places, shopping centres, industrial facilities) in Nigeria through private sector developers. EEI aims to assist over 80,000 shops within a year, empower over 340,000 micro, small and medium enterprises, create over 2,500 jobs with the initial 16 economic clusters while serving over 18 million Nigerians.
On Tuesday, 29th January, 2019, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, commissioned the Ariaria Market Independent Power Project (IPP) in company of His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State, H. E. Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State, APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Hon. Ministers of Power, Works & Housing, Foreign Affairs, Labour & Productivity, Science & Technology, the Managing Director/CEO, Rural Electrification Agency, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, the Managing Director & Chairman of Ariaria Market Energy Solutions Limited (AMES) and other dignitaries.
Ariaria International Market is located in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. The market has 11 sections and over 37,000 shops with several trading activities including tailoring, textile trading, leather works and footwear production, printing, fabrication of tools and mechanical parts, pharmaceuticals etc.
Ariaira Market Energy Solutions Ltd (AMES) is the Special Project Vehicle set up to manage the project by the private sector who have fully funded, constructed and are managing the project. The Ariaria Market Independent Power Project consists of the following – a gas-fired power plant, an extensive distribution network and robust metering systems for each shop. The first 4000 in the market have been connected and are now receiving constant and affordable electricity, with the remaining shops expected to be connected in 2019. Over 15,000 SMEs are currently receiving affordable and constant power supply to run their businesses.
The project has created 250 direct jobs and 370 indirect jobs so far.
“I am pleased to commission this milestone achievement. Reliable power supply is critical to ease of doing business. We are heading towards moving our economy further. Jobs are created through investment in projects like this. This project shows progress can be made irrespective of political difference.”– His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I am happy to say when this option came for power to be provided in this beautiful way, we all rallied around and said we must do the needful to give i Aba the option of which power source to choose and this is far better than whatever they have seen before now. I am happy to say that Aba is perhaps one of the few places where we have had uninterrupted power which will scale up. With this initiative, there is a great change in business here in Ariaria market.” – His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu, Executive Governor, Abia State
“There are many projects we could have taken His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to commission but we chose Ariaria market IPP for His Excellency to see what his administration has championed for MSMEs. There used to be 6,000 generators in Ariaria Market producing hazardous emissions, but now it has been majorly eliminated through the implementation of Federal Government policies. Ariaria IPP now provides clean and reliable energy” – His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing,
“ To date almost 10,000 shops have been electrified as part of the Energizing Economies initiative within Ariaira Market in Abia, Sabon Gari Market in Kano, Sura Market complex and Iponri market in Lagos, Isikan market in Ondo. It is therefore very clear that, this administration is committed to ensuring that Nigerian businesses are given the ability to thrive and thus boost economic activity in a conducive and healthy environment.” – Damilola Ogunbiyi, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Rural Electrification Agency
“The Federal Government’s Energizing Economies Initiative is responsible for us being able to carry out this project. This administration has created the enabling environment for us to thrive. We are looking forward to undertaking many more similar projects. Clearly what has happened here is beyond politics and a testament to what is possible when the enabling environment is created for Public-Private-Partnerships to thrive.” – Ubani Nkaginieme, CEO Ariaria Market Energy Solutions Limited
“We in Ariaria market are delighted and most grateful to the Federal Government and our Governor Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for making it possible for our hardworking people to receive a cleaner, more reliable and affordable alternative power supply. This intervention will bring growth to our businesses and the overall well being to our people and customers in Ariaria market.” – Chief. Lucky Akubueze, Chairman, Ariaria International Market Aba Traders Association (AIMATA)
“We would like to thank His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and this administration for bringing constant and reliable power to Ariaria market” – Mrs. Sally Ngozi Joel, Shop owner, Ariaria International Market
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