Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said the state will be the first in Nigeria to achieve energy sufficiency.
He said achieving the goal had always been a major focus of his government and expressed the readiness of the state to partner with the British American Tobacco (BAT), Ibadan Plant to achieve this.
The governor who stated this at the 20th anniversary of the BAT Ibadan Plant, held at the company’s premises in Ibadan, commended the company for its immense contributions to Oyo State over the years, promising to sustain the conducive environment in which BAT and other companies are operating in the state.
The governor said the state would look forward to working with BAT to improve electricity supply in the state.
“You are going to be commissioning a 1.4 megawatts solar plant. This is pretty much in line with our aspiration in Oyo State.
“For us, energy sufficiency is a big part of this administration. When I came in, there was no Energy Ministry but we now have and the Commissioner for the Ministry is here.
“Less than 3km from here, you have the City Gate for the gas coming into Ibadan. So, we should be able to work together to utilise Nigerian gas in this environment,” he said.
Makinde maintained that the state would also, within the next few weeks, commission its 11 megawatts power plant, with 10 megawatts gas-driven while one megawatt is solar-powered.
He said his administration would soon sign the bill establishing the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Earlier, chairman, BAT Nigeria, Chief Kola Karim, said the company had played a pivotal role in the economic growth and prosperity of the country.
He said, “It is a privilege and honour to stand as the chairman of BAT and to welcome you to a celebration of over 100 years of doing business in Nigeria.’’
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