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Julius Berger plans partnership to upgrade power supply

By Collins Olayinka, Abuja
25 March 2015   |   1:27 am
The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria, who is also an Engineer, Detler Lubasch, said: “We are exploring of course in the power sector, which is the area we see the future. We also see the future in gas and oil. There is no doubt that gas and oil will be there in 20 years and longer but our core business is still building and road construction.”
Julius Berger Head Office  Image: Julius-berger.com

Julius Berger Head Office Image: Julius-berger.com

CONSTRUCTION giant, Julius Berger has concluded plans to go into partnerships with credible investors willing to invest in upgrading of Nigeria’s electricity supply systems.

Julius Berger is towing paths laid by the likes of General Electric (GE), which is investing heavily in the Nigeria’s emerging electricity industry with investments in capacity upgrade and technology transfer.

The firm, which is largely known for its prowess in the construction industry, has indicated that it will explore opportunities to invest in the power sector.

The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria, who is also an Engineer, Detler Lubasch, said: “We are exploring of course in the power sector, which is the area we see the future. We also see the future in gas and oil. There is no doubt that gas and oil will be there in 20 years and longer but our core business is still building and road construction.”

Lubasch stated at the just concluded 2015 edition of the Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) conference and exhibition in Abuja that the current reforms in the power sector comes with great potentials that the company will like to tap into.

He added: “As you all know, Nigeria needs infrastructure and this is our core business. We will be involved in power plants, that is where we see an environment that will grow and we want to be part of that. Julius Berger will be there as a partner to establish the techniques to erect power systems in Nigeria. It is going to be thermal that we will be doing and not hydro.”

He further explained that in this regard, Julius Berger seeks to initiate the kind of partnership that GE has with Nigeria. GE for instance is partnering with the Ministry of Power to support the development of 10,000 megawatts (MW) of power over the next 10 years in the country.

It has also partnered with a number of local power generation companies to ramp up electrical output throughout the country, as well as with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) in the construction of its 10 power plants under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

It will be recalled that Julius Berger in 2014 emerged as preferred bidder and signed an agreement with GE for the construction of a multi-modal manufacturing and assembly plant in Calabar, Cross River State.

The facility owned by GE, would when completed, have an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production.

It is part of the $1 billion investment plan announced by GE Chairman, Jeff Immelt in January 2013, which the company would invest in Nigeria.

2 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    This will be great, please Julius Berger join and follow the foot step of General Electric to provide electricity to the Masses of Nigeria. Julius Berger PLC, definitely you will gain from this investment in future, please help Nigerians to eradicate darkness in Nigeria especially with the privatization of power sector. God bless Nigeria.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The transformation must continue