Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has been struggling to meet its electricity demand for decades. Despite having abundant natural gas reserves and several power plants, the country suffers from frequent blackouts and low access to electricity.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has blamed the low utilization of the federal government’s power plants for the poor performance of the sector. He said that the government has invested so much in power generation, but the plants are not operating at their full capacity due to various constraints.
Adelabu made these remarks after inspecting the Benin Electricity Generation Company power plant in Ihovbo, under the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, on Saturday. He said that the plant has four gas turbines, each with a capacity of 125 megawatts, but only one is operational, generating about 100 megawatts.
“That is just 20 per cent capacity utilization, which is a gross lack of optimization of our investment as a country. If we have put so much into establishing these power plants, they should be able to give us the kind of power that we require,” he said.
Challenges and Solutions
The minister identified some of the challenges facing the power sector, such as gas supply disruptions, transmission bottlenecks, distribution inefficiencies, and regulatory issues. He said that the government is working to address these challenges and improve the power situation in the country.
He said that the government is implementing the Power Sector Recovery Program, which aims to improve the financial viability and service delivery of the sector. He also said that the government is supporting the development of renewable energy and off-grid solutions, especially in rural areas.
He added that the government is encouraging private sector participation and investment in the power sector, as well as promoting regional integration and cooperation. He said that the government is committed to creating an enabling environment for the power sector to thrive and contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
A Brighter Future
The minister assured Nigerians that the power sector will soon witness significant improvement and transformation. He said that the government is determined to provide reliable and affordable electricity to all Nigerians, and to achieve the target of 10,000 megawatts of installed capacity by 2025.
He urged Nigerians to be patient and supportive of the government’s efforts, and to pay their electricity bills promptly. He also appealed to the stakeholders in the power sector, such as the generation, transmission, and distribution companies, to cooperate and collaborate with the government and each other.
He expressed optimism that the power sector will overcome its challenges and become a catalyst for the country’s industrialization and diversification. He said that the power sector is key to the realization of the government’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.
Source: Punch
