By Abdulaziz Mohammed Malah
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving sixty-eight billion naira operational support for the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant.
The Governor, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, described the intervention by the Federal Government as timely and strategic in addressing both economic and security challenges in the state.
Professor Zulum noted that the approval covers two billion naira monthly operational expenditures from March 2026 to December 2028 to sustain the plant and bridge existing funding gaps.
He explained that the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant was initiated in 2021 as a presidential intervention following the destruction of power infrastructure by insurgents, which plunged the state into blackout for nearly two years.
The Governor added that the intervention, implemented through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, has played a key role in restoring electricity supply, reviving economic activities, and improving the livelihoods of residents.
Professor Zulum further stated that the 50-megawatt power plant, commissioned in December 2023, has boosted socio-economic development, generated employment opportunities, and supported small and medium-scale enterprises across the state.
He emphasized that stable electricity supply has also contributed to improved security by empowering communities economically and reducing vulnerabilities associated with insurgency and criminality.
The Governor expressed optimism that the presidential approval will ensure sustainable power supply to Maiduguri metropolis and surrounding areas, thereby strengthening resilience in the state.
Professor Zulum reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continued collaboration with the Federal Government to achieve sustainable development in the energy sector, as well as lasting peace and stability in Borno State.
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