WorldStage– Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial district, Nigeria, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving ₦68 billion in operational support for the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP).
In a statement released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Ndume described the funding as a lifeline that will revitalize Borno State’s economy and security .
The approved ₦68 billion is intended to bridge financial gaps in the plant’s sustained operations, and to be disbursed in phases as monthly operational expenditure (OPEX) support of ₦2 billion.
The Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant was originally conceived as a presidential intervention around 2021 after insurgent attacks damaged key transmission infrastructure, plunging parts of Borno into extended blackout.
The facility was later upgraded to about 50 megawatts in 2023 to improve supply reliability.
Despite the upgrade, the plant has faced operational funding and maintenance challenges, which the new financing arrangement is expected to address.
The disbursement, scheduled from March 2026 to December 2028, is to ensure stable electricity supply in Maiduguri and surrounding areas, which had previously endured nearly two years of blackout due to insurgent vandalism.
According to reports from, Ndume highlighted several critical benefits of the intervention to include
economic recovery through boosting of stable power that will significantly help small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and the informal sector, which are the backbone of local livelihoods, grow.
Other benefits Ndume highlighted are restoration of electricity that improves visibility and operational efficiency for the military, particularly at night, which helps in the fight against insurgents; and reviving economic activities, with government aiming to reduce the vulnerability of idle youth, effectively cutting off a major recruitment stream for terrorist groups.
Ndume said the intervention directly responds to persistent complaints from residents over prolonged power outages, stressing that reliable electricity remains central to restoring economic activity and improving security in the region.
According to him, improved power supply would help revive small businesses, support livelihoods, and strengthen ongoing efforts to stabilise the North-East, where insurgency has severely disrupted infrastructure and public services.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State also expressed his gratitude for the approval earlier in April, noting that the 50MW plant, fully revitalized under the current administration, is central to the state’s resilience and peace efforts.
