By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Umuahia, Dec. 3, 2025
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that the state government would execute a 7.5MVA injection substation alongside the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) 7.5MVA substation project to boost electricity supply.
Otti made the announcement on Wednesday during the NDPHC/ NIPP Distribution Intervention Project’s official groundbreaking for the 7.5MVA Injection Substation, in Umuahia.
The governor noted that the state’s matching facility was included in the 2026 budget.
Otti said the dual project would strengthen power supply in Umuahia and support industrial growth across the state capital and neighbouring communities.
He 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.
Otti commended NDPHC for expanding power infrastructure and deepening its investment footprint through ongoing work at the Alaoji Power Plant.
He stressed that reliable electricity is critical for industrial growth, job creation, and attracting investor confidence across Abia State.
The governor 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.
Otti added that Abia had acquired statewide 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.
The governor described Abia as open to long-term investment, offering a stable regulatory environment and strong market prospects for electricity developers.
He urged NDPHC to prioritise accelerated project delivery, noting the strategic importance of the substations for households and businesses.
Otti 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 Otti for collaborating with federal agencies and investing in strategic sectors, saying the state was 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.
Emeruwa said that the law would be used to support ongoing and future power projects, assuring continued legislative backing.
The Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday, improve electricity distribution and ease pressure on the overloaded feeder serving the capital and neighbouring communities.
Monday said the project was a major step in the state’s power transformation agenda.
