The federal government has said that it plans to invest $800 million in the construction of substations and distribution networks as part of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who made the disclosure during a tour of the TBEA Southern Power Transmission and Distribution Industry in Beijing, China, said that the investment would be divided into two lots: $400m for Lot 2, covering Benin, Port Harcourt, and Enugu Distribution Companies (DisCos), and $400m for Lot 3, covering Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, and Kano DisCos.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Strategic Communication, Bolaji Tunji, the minister expressed concern over the rejection of power by DisCos which recently led to a reduction in generation capacity from a peak of 5,170 megawatts by 1,400 megawatts due to their inability to manage the supply.

He said that despite the setback, the government aimed to increase power generation to 6,000 megawatts by the end of the year.

Adelabu reaffirmed the government's commitment to collaborating with world-class organisations like TBEA to realise President Bola Tinubu's vision for the power sector.

The statement reads in part: "Especially in the areas of transmission and distribution of the entire power sector value chain as well as Nigeria's renewable energy segment."

Adelabu said that Nigeria had in 1984 generated 2,000 megawatts, and that it took over 35 years to add another 2,000 megawatts.

He said that under the current administration, power generation increased from 4,000 megawatts to 5,170 megawatts within a year.