The federal government says it has signed a pivotal agreement with Germany to strengthen the technical foundations of its energy transition.

Bolaji Tunji, the special adviser for strategic communication and media relations to the Minister of Power, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Tunji said the landmark achievement was contained in a new Joint Declaration of Intent on Bilateral Energy Transition Dialogue and Cooperation, endorsed at the Working Group on Power, Energy, and Climate in Germany.

He said the working group also underscored the vital role of strategic partnerships between Nigerian and German companies, highlighting the importance of the private sector in energy relations between the two countries.

Mr Tunji said the two countries also noted the continued progress on the “Presidential Power Initiative,” while looking forward to further progress in realising the initiative.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who represented Nigeria at the event, said the joint declaration was a game-changer for the country’s national energy architecture.

“It moves our partnership with Germany beyond dialogue into the realm of concrete technical assistance, ensuring Nigeria receives the specialised expertise needed to build a robust, sustainable, and secure energy future for our people.

“The enhanced technical cooperation complements the long-standing Nigerian-German Energy Partnership and was reached during the meeting, where both countries reiterated their commitment to renewable energy and socio-economic development.

“It also intensifies our close cooperation to advance energy security and renewable energy and energy efficiency for socio-economic development in line with technology innovation and long-term decarbonisation targets,” he said.

Mr Adelabu said the partnership was already delivering tangible benefits, with Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) providing an additional €9 million in 2024 to the “Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP).

”This is in addition to a further €12 million for the newly inaugurated “Energy Transition Challenge Fund (ETCF).”

The minister welcomed the progress, adding that the financial mechanisms, including the ‘Green Line of Credit’ for Nigeria’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the mobilisation of private investment through GET.invest, are critical enablers.

“When combined with the technical expertise now formalised in our Joint Declaration, we are building a comprehensive ecosystem for energy success,” he said.

Germany reiterated its desire for NGEP meetings to be held annually at the level of under-secretaries in the future, beginning in 2026.

(NAN)