Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has announced plans to break ground in July on a 660-megawatt coal-fired power plant that he said would eliminate electricity outages for businesses and households in the state within 24 months of construction, in what he described as the most consequential infrastructure intervention in the state’s efforts to grow its economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
Mbah made the announcement during a solidarity visit by the Organized Private Sector Nigeria to Government House in Enugu, at which the umbrella body for the state’s major business associations formally endorsed the governor for a second term, citing his record on security, infrastructure, transportation, and investment climate improvements.
The governor said the administration had taken approximately two years to conduct the necessary studies and secure coal assets that would guarantee uninterrupted supply to the plant, describing the project as the product of careful preparation rather than political impulse. He assured investors and residents that upon commissioning, electricity would be consistently available at prices far below the national average due to the low cost structure of the coal-based generation model.
He addressed environmental concerns by pointing to the exceptional quality of Enugu coal, noting its sulphur content of less than 0.5 percent, a level he said was among the lowest in the world and comparable only to Japanese coal, making it significantly cleaner than most coal used in power generation globally.
Beyond the power plant, Mbah outlined additional strategic investments being pursued by his administration, including a technology incubation centre, a partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission to establish an Artificial Intelligence Institute, and ongoing security improvements.
