Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he licensed a Nigerian to run a power company because he believed strongly in the capability of local talent to deliver results. He made this remark on Monday during the inauguration of new substations at the Geometric Power Plant in Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State.
Obasanjo explained that he chose to give a licence to Prof. Barth Nnaji, founder of Geometric Power, because of his confidence in Nigeria’s potential for industrial growth. He said despite doubts from others, he trusted Nigerians could handle complex infrastructure projects — and Geometric Power has proven him right.
“Two people asked me why I was giving such responsibility to Nigerians, saying they would disappoint me,” Obasanjo recalled. “But you have not disappointed me or anyone else who believed in this project.”
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The former president said the power project serves as a model of what is possible when Nigerians trust their own skills and work together. He emphasized that Nigeria already has the human and material resources needed to succeed without depending entirely on foreign solutions.
This event marks a milestone for Nigeria’s potential for industrial growth, with Geometric Power providing a solid example of local innovation driving energy development. Obasanjo urged the company to expand its power distribution network beyond Aba to other parts of Abia State to boost development and attract industries.
He concluded by highlighting the importance of self-reliance, saying, “We have what it takes to develop — within ourselves, among ourselves, and by ourselves.”
The Geometric Power project is widely viewed as a major step in unlocking Nigeria’s potential for industrial growth and reliable power supply through local innovation.
