By Osordi Ayomide
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving ₦68 billion in operational support for the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP), describing the intervention as timely and critical to sustaining economic recovery in the state.
The approval provides for a monthly disbursement of ₦2 billion from March 2026 to December 2028 to address funding shortfalls in the plant’s operations and ensure continued electricity supply to Maiduguri and surrounding communities.
The MEPP was established in 2021 as an emergency federal intervention following the destruction of key transmission infrastructure by insurgents, which left Borno State without public power supply for an extended period. The plant has since served as a major alternative source of electricity and was upgraded to a 50-megawatt capacity in December 2023.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Dauda Iliya, Governor Zulum said the intervention would further stabilise power supply and support ongoing recovery efforts in the state.
He noted that the plant has already contributed significantly to reviving economic activities, improving livelihoods, and enhancing security operations, adding that sustained funding would ensure its continued impact.
The development underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to rebuilding infrastructure in insurgency-affected regions, with particular emphasis on restoring essential services and supporting long-term socio-economic stability in the North-East.