Aba, a state in the south-east of Nigeria, is known as one of the country's industrial centres, with manufacturing, fashion, leatherwork and furniture hubs that are reputed to be able to build just about any consumer product. However, the availability of stable and adequate power was, for a long time, the one thing holding back the state's industrious entrepreneurs. To keep their machines going, businesses have had to rely on diesel and petrol generators, adding to the costs of existing businesses and discouraging new investors.
That was until the revival of the Aba Integrated Power Plant, backed by a $50m loan from Africa Export-Import Bank in 2021. Developed by Geometric Power, the project has made more power available to Aba's residents and entrepreneurs, creating the conditions for businesses to expand, for new enterprises to be built and for jobs to be created.
First conceived about two decades ago, the Aba power projects stalled when a concession secured by Geometric Power was sold to another company. Geometric Power, which had already built a 27-kilometre gas pipeline linking a gas processing station to the power plant, was forced to seek legal redress, eventually securing its rights to the concession.
"It was an extremely, extremely difficult period," recalls Professor Bart O. Nnaji, founder and chairman of Geometric Power. "Many years later, Afreximbank were able to rescue it and bring it back to life," he adds.
Originally published by African Business.