Chinese Firm Plans Power, Energy Equipment Industrial Park in Nigeria

• TBEA Co. Ltd plans to establish a power and energy equipment industrial park in Nigeria as part of efforts to expand local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported equipment.

• The proposed park is expected to create jobs, support technology transfer and position Nigeria as a manufacturing and export hub for critical power-sector equipment.

• The Federal Government is also seeking deeper Chinese investment in generation, transmission, EV charging and power-intensive industries, including steel, automotive manufacturing and data centres.

September 14, () – Major Chinese power and energy equipment manufacturer TBEA Co. Ltd has indicated plans to establish a power and energy equipment industrial park in Nigeria, as the Federal Government steps up efforts to attract long-term investment and localise production in the electricity sector.

The proposal emerged during a high-level meeting between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and TBEA executives at the company’s headquarters in Beijing.

Tegbe is on a working visit to China to engage original equipment manufacturers and technical partners involved in Nigeria’s Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

Founded in 1949, TBEA manufactures power transformers and electrical equipment and develops transmission and renewable energy projects.

Industrial park to support local manufacturing

The proposed industrial park is expected to help Nigeria move from dependence on imported power equipment towards local manufacturing, while creating jobs and developing indigenous suppliers.

Tegbe described TBEA as a potential long-term strategic development partner rather than simply a contractor, stressing that the Federal Government wants investors that bring capital, technology transfer and local capacity.

TBEA also renewed its commitment to accelerate ongoing transmission and distribution projects in Nigeria, including projects expected to unlock more than 2,000MW of stranded generation capacity and strengthen bulk power supply to the Federal Capital Territory.

Tegbe called for faster completion of PPI projects and the extension of planned grid infrastructure to Nigeria’s East-West corridor.

Government seeks wider Chinese investment

The engagement also explored electric-vehicle charging infrastructure as Nigeria seeks to develop its electricity system alongside renewable energy and storage technologies.

Tegbe also met executives of Sinomach Group and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), two major contractors involved in Nigeria’s generation and transmission programme.

He urged Chinese partners to move beyond conventional engineering, procurement and construction contracts towards broader partnerships involving co-investment, technology and technical expertise.

The proposed model would cover generation, transmission, hydropower and related industrial investments, with the government seeking blended financing and faster project completion.

The minister also visited China National Electric Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) to advance cooperation on Nigeria’s transmission network.

During the visit, the Nigerian delegation witnessed a factory acceptance test for high-voltage cables and related transmission materials at Hengfei Cable’s Changsha Industrial Park.

The test is designed to ensure equipment for Nigerian projects meets technical standards before shipment.

Tegbe also invited Chinese companies to invest in industries that can provide anchor demand for additional electricity, including steel, automotive manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold-chain logistics and sugar processing.

He proposed a structured Nigeria-China industrial cooperation platform to identify and develop bankable projects aligned with Nigeria’s industrialisation priorities.

The government’s broader objective is to ensure that investment in generation and transmission capacity is matched by productive industrial demand, creating jobs while improving the commercial viability of Nigeria’s power sector.