LAGOS, Nigeria — Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has provided a detailed rationale for Nigeria's ongoing electricity supply to neighboring Niger Republic, framing it as a fulfillment of a crucial long-term agreement that protects Nigeria's own energy infrastructure. He also delivered a pointed critique of the regional response to Niger's 2023 military coup. Speaking during an interview, Obasanjo explained that the arrangement is not a discretionary favor but stems from a strategic pact. He revealed that Niger Republic agreed not to construct a dam on the River Niger upstream from Nigeria's Kainji Dam—a project that could have severely crippled Nigeria's primary hydroelectric power generation. In return, Nigeria committed to supplying Niger with electricity. "International agreements should not be abandoned due to domestic pressures," Obasanjo stated, emphasizing that the symbiotic deal, which safeguards Nigeria's en...
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