The Northern States Governors’ Forum
and the General Electric International, on
Monday, signed a memorandum of
understanding for the construction of
five solar plants that aim at generating
500 megawatts of electricity in some
parts of Northern Nigeria.

Borno State Governor and Chairman of
the Northern States Governors ‘ Forum,
Kashim Shettima signed the agreement
on behalf of the Governors while
General Electric’s Senior Executive,
Western Europe and Africa, Mr. Armand
Pineda and the President/Chief Executive
Officer, General Electric, Nigeria, Dr.
Lazarus Angbazo signed on behalf of
their company in a brief ceremony which
held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
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Based on the MOU, the General Electric
which has 120 years experience in power
generation, is to build five solar power
plants to be located in Borno, Kebbi,
Nassarawa, Niger and Taraba States
which each of the plants expected to
generate 100 megawatts of electricity
totaling 500 megawatts across the 5
States. The electricity is meant to
stimulate economic activities and social
services in the affected States through
boosting agricultural food processing,
small scale businesses in addition to
supplying electricity to schools and
hospitals.
The project which is a pilot phase, is
being coordinated by the Northern
Nigeria Global Economic Re-
integrationProgramme, newly created by
the Northern Governors to serve as
vehicle for the economic recovery of
northern States through international
relations on infrastructure,
manufacturing, stimulate agricultural
value chain and trade and make the
region a global player agricultural
export in line with the vision of late
Premier of the Region.

The Governors Forum led by Governor
Kashim Shettima engaged the services of
Malam Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi as Cheif
Executive Officer of the Programme.
Kurfi was Chief Economic Adviser to late
President Umaru Musa Yara dua and he
has wide contact with leading
development companies and financial
institutions across the world.

“The 19 Governors of the north jointly
created this approach. We want to go
beyond lamentation to provide solutions
and we all know that power is key to
industrial development. With power, we
can create jobs, stimulate our
economies and make life better for our
people. The General Electric has over
120 years experience in energy solutions
and they have been operating in Nigeria
for over 50 years, we cannot have a
better partner than GE. We shall do our
part as Governors, this I will assure you.
We are deeply committed to this
agreement” Governor Kashim Shettima
said at the MOU signing ceremony.


The Northern Governors Chairman
enumerated challenges of poverty,
unemployment, poor access to
education, poor healthcare amongst
other underdevelopment indications
threatening the north while concluding
that the power can provide a vehicle for
the north to reposition itself for a better
future.
The CEO, Northern Nigeria Global
Economic Re-Integration Programme,
Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi said he took up the
challenge put forward by the Northern
Governors as a result of strong passion
and commitment to the aggressive
development of the north as so far
shown by the Northern Governors since
Governor Shettima became the forum’s
chairman in 2015.

Reaffirming their commitment to the
MOU, General Electric’s Senior Executive,
Western Europe and Africa, Mr. Armand
Pineda and the President/Chief Executive
Officer, General Electric, Nigeria, Dr.
Lazarus Angbazo both pledged that they
would work round the clock to realize
the project for the benefits of citizens of
the five State