President Bola Tinubu on Friday commissioned a 60-megawatt gas turbine independent power project located at Elebele in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, in what the state government has described as a landmark achievement in its drive to secure reliable, self-sufficient energy for the people of the Niger Delta state.
The inauguration was part of a broader project commissioning exercise during the President’s working visit to Bayelsa, which also saw him unveil the 630-metre Angiama-Oporoma Bridge, the Sagbama/Ekeremor Road, and a 2.9-kilometre dual carriageway in Yenagoa all implemented under the administration of Governor Douye Diri.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Bayelsa Government House, President Tinubu praised Governor Diri for delivering on the independent power project, expressing confidence that the initiative reflected the kind of governance that translates policy into tangible improvement in the lives of citizens.
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“We are all working hard. Independent power supply is a good thing. I assure Nigerians that they will have electricity to power their growth,” the President declared.
Tinubu further urged the governor to sustain the momentum of people-oriented project delivery, pledging that the Federal Government would continue to support the Bayelsa State administration in its development drive.
Governor Diri, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to the President for honouring the state with a personal visit to commission the projects, describing Tinubu as a genuine friend of the Bayelsa people. He credited Federal Government policy reforms with creating the enabling environment that made the power project possible.
“Your administration’s decisive policy interventions have paved the way for meaningful reforms in various sectors, including power. This has enabled us to deliver on our pledge to establish reliable, independent energy through the construction of these gas-powered turbines. For us as a state, this is not just an achievement; it is a cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing,” Diri said.
The visit attracted several prominent Nigerians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, who witnessed the commissioning of the projects in his home state.
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The Elebele gas turbine power plant represents one of the more concrete examples of state-level independent power infrastructure commissioned in the Niger Delta region in recent years a region that, despite being the source of Nigeria’s oil wealth, has historically struggled with unreliable electricity supply.
As the Tinubu administration continues to grapple with nationwide electricity challenges, including a recently approved ₦3.3 trillion payment plan to restore reliable power nationwide, the Bayelsa commissioning offers a template of what state-federal collaboration on energy infrastructure can deliver when political will and policy alignment converge
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