Geometric Power is positioning its Aba Integrated Power Project as a major catalyst for industrial growth in Abia State, with plans for substantially higher electricity generation as the company builds on infrastructure and financing support from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The development comes as Aba’s industrial and commercial activities continue to benefit from improved electricity supply, with the power project designed to provide reliable energy to businesses, industries and communities within its ring-fenced service area.
Afreximbank has played a major role in the revival of the project, providing a US$50 million term loan to Geometric Power in 2021 to support the completion of the Aba Integrated Power Project, including generation and distribution infrastructure and the commencement of operations.
From 141MW to a Bigger Power Ambition
The Aba Integrated Power Project was commissioned in February 2024 with an initial generation capacity of 141MW, generated by three General Electric gas turbines.
The project has a licensed capacity of 188MW, while Geometric Power’s broader development plan provides for further expansion. The company’s current project information identifies a longer-term generation development plan of up to 1,000MW in two phases.
An Afreximbank development impact evaluation also projects that Abia could approach 500MW of daily power production by 2030, with Geometric Power potentially generating more than 1,000MW by 2032 and supplying excess electricity to the national grid.
The expansion ambition is significant for Aba, one of South-East Nigeria’s major commercial and manufacturing centres, where businesses have historically depended heavily on diesel and petrol generators because of unreliable public electricity.
Afreximbank’s $50m Intervention
Afreximbank’s intervention has been central to the revival of the Aba project.
In November 2021, the bank signed a US$50 million term loan facility with Geometric Power. According to Afreximbank, the financing supported the acquisition of rights to the Aba ring-fenced area, completion of outstanding works and the commissioning and commencement of operations of the project.
The bank also advised Geometric Power on restructuring and arranging gap capital as part of a US$332 million recapitalisation of the Aba Integrated Power Project.
Afreximbank subsequently described the project as an example of how targeted infrastructure investment can support industrialisation by connecting electricity generation directly with distribution in an important commercial zone.
Powering Aba’s Industrial Base
Unlike conventional power arrangements that depend entirely on the national transmission network, the Aba project integrates generation and distribution within a defined service area.
The project combines Geometric Power Aba Limited as the generation company with APLE/Aba Power as the distribution utility. It also includes a dedicated 27-kilometre gas pipeline, substations and distribution lines designed to strengthen electricity delivery to customers.
This integrated model is particularly important to Aba, which has a large concentration of manufacturers, artisans, traders and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Afreximbank has reported that improved electricity availability is already helping businesses reduce their dependence on generators, expand operations and regain confidence to invest in the city.
Wider Economic Impact
The potential impact extends beyond electricity supply.
According to Afreximbank’s development assessment, the project could reduce annual power-outage costs for manufacturing firms in Aba and Abia by about US$1.3 billion, while potentially increasing the state’s manufacturing output by approximately US$707 million. The assessment also projects the attraction of about 2,000 new industries to the metropolitan area.
These projections underline the strategic importance of expanding electricity generation in an economy where high energy costs have remained a major challenge to manufacturing and small-business growth.
For Aba’s entrepreneurs, more reliable electricity could mean longer production hours, lower dependence on expensive generators and greater capacity to compete in domestic and export markets.
A Model for Industrialisation
Afreximbank’s support for Geometric Power reflects its broader focus on financing infrastructure capable of driving trade and industrialisation across Africa.
When the Aba project was commissioned in 2024, Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board, Prof. Benedict Oramah, described the project as an example of what public-private collaboration could achieve in promoting industrial development.
For Geometric Power, the objective now goes beyond restoring electricity to Aba. The expansion programme presents an opportunity to establish a larger power-generation and distribution platform capable of supporting industrial growth in Abia and the wider South-East.
As the company works towards higher generation capacity, the success of the Aba model could provide a blueprint for developing more integrated electricity projects around Nigeria’s major industrial clusters.
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