Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has revealed that his administration plans to acquire the Umuahia ring-fenced area managed by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, aiming to extend stable electricity to the eight local government areas not currently powered by Geometric Power.

He made the announcement on Monday during a reception hosted by Geometric Power Aba, shortly after former President Olusegun Obasanjo commissioned and toured the newly constructed 2 x 15 MVA substation in Ogbor Hill operated by Aba Power.

Governor Alex Otti has instructed the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities to engage with the management of Geometric Power regarding the possibility of transmitting surplus electricity to the Umuahia ring-fenced area.

“We are in the process of buying EEDC and restructuring Umuahia. By Tuesday, May 6, we will be making an offer to EEDC,” the governor disclosed.

“We have done all the due diligence, we have done all the evaluations and we will be making an offer to EEDC.

“Our estimation is that with all the 11 substations (of Geometric) ready and the 9 local governments connected, somehow, we have the problem of Ukwa West, which we are putting heads together to solve. So, that means that we will have over 80 megawatts of excess power from here.

“Ordinarily, what would happen is for that excess power to be injected into the national grid, but then, with the deregulation, our discussion with Geometric Power is around wheeling that 80 or 88 megawatts or any excess power into Umuahia ring-fence. So, once we are in control, that excess power will go to Umuahia,” Otti added.

The commissioning ceremony drew notable attendees, including top government officials, mayors of Osisioma, Aba North, and Aba South Local Government Areas, and lawmakers representing Osisioma North, Osisioma South, and Aba Central constituencies in the Abia State House of Assembly.

Professor Bart Nnaji, Chairman and CEO of Geometric Power Group, opened the event with an overview of the Aba Integrated Power Project. He expressed appreciation to both former President Obasanjo and Governor Alex Otti for their pivotal support in the project's success.

Nnaji highlighted Otti’s consistent backing, beginning from his time as an executive at First Bank and later Diamond Bank, noting that the governor has continued to foster a favorable business environment in Abia. He also disclosed that the power project has already attracted over $800 million in investments.

In his remarks, Obasanjo commended Governor Otti’s leadership and described Aba as a vital hub for industrial growth in Nigeria—one deserving of reliable electricity. He congratulated Otti, Nnaji, and the people of Abia on the project’s progress and urged Nnaji to extend power coverage to the eight remaining local government areas not yet included in the electricity ring.

Governor Otti, in his address, acknowledged Obasanjo’s foresight in designating Aba as a power-ringed zone long before states were given regulatory control over electricity.

He also thanked Professor Nnaji for believing in and investing in Abia State, highlighting how these actions are now bearing fruit for the state’s development.