President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other prominent Nigerians have celebrated Professor Bart Nnaji, Chairman of Geometric Power Group, as he marked his 70th birthday in Enugu.
The tributes were delivered during the Professor Bart Nnaji 70th Birthday Symposium themed “Powering Tomorrow: 70 Years of Engineering the Common Good”, held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
The event attracted notable figures including the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Dr Muhammadu Sanusi II; Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah; Abia State Governor Alex Otti and other leaders from government, business and academia.
In a goodwill message released by the Presidency, Tinubu described Nnaji as an outstanding innovator and administrator whose contributions to Nigeria’s power sector reflected integrity, discipline and commitment to national development.
The President praised Nnaji for pioneering the Aba Integrated Power Project, Nigeria’s first fully vertically integrated electricity utility, describing the project as a major milestone in the country’s electricity sector.
Tinubu also commended the former minister for his role in advancing power sector reforms and for continuing to pursue solutions despite the challenges facing the industry.
Former President Obasanjo, who chaired the symposium, said the gathering was organised to celebrate Nnaji’s achievements, excellence and exemplary life.
Obasanjo praised the engineer for setting an example worthy of emulation and wished him continued success in his future endeavours.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, in his goodwill message, highlighted Nnaji’s impact through the Aba Power project, which generates, distributes electricity and provides metering services to customers.
Shettima described the project as a model capable of addressing some of the long-standing challenges in Nigeria’s power sector, including poor electricity supply, weak revenue collection and inadequate investment.
Delivering the keynote address, Sanusi II said Nnaji’s achievements had earned international recognition from major corporations and financial institutions, describing his work as an African success story.
Speaking on energy security and economic growth, the former Central Bank governor said reliable and affordable electricity remains essential for industrialisation, economic development and poverty reduction.
Sanusi said Nnaji stands among Nigeria’s most accomplished engineers because he has transformed ideas into practical solutions that improve everyday life.
Governor Mbah of Enugu State described Nnaji’s accomplishments in engineering and academics as products of discipline, resilience and hard work.
He said the establishment of Geometric Power positioned Nnaji as a pioneer of indigenous electricity development in Nigeria, adding that his contributions extended beyond infrastructure to supporting young professionals and education.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti also praised Nnaji’s work, saying the success of Geometric Power encouraged his administration to introduce an electric bus transport initiative in the state.
He urged Nigerians to learn from Nnaji’s determination and never-give-up attitude.
The Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited, Adeleye Falade, described Nnaji as an exceptional scientist and a major figure in the power industry.
The birthday symposium also featured a presidential fireside chat with Obasanjo moderated by THISDAY Editorial Board Chairman, Segun Adeniyi, as well as a review of the book “Nnaji: The Challenge of the Future” by Professor Okey Ndibe.
