In his New Year broadcast, Mr. President prioritized electricity, and the Minister of Power has reassured Nigerians of the Ministry’s commitment. Throughout the Yuletide season, the Ministry, agencies, and Discos worked tirelessly to enhance power supply, acknowledging positive improvements.
Recognizing the critical role of electricity in economic growth, our initial three months focused on diagnosis, stakeholder consultation, and strategy formulation. With a well-documented implementation plan, it’s now time to take decisive action.
Our primary focus is enhancing distribution and transmission infrastructure to minimize technical and commercial losses. The lack of liquidity continues to be a significant challenge in the electricity market. We are currently reviewing the implementation process of a cost reflective tariff, while Government will continue to subsidize power supply to those that are vulnerable in our society. Closing the meter gap is imperative, and ongoing initiatives, including World Bank programs and the Presidential Metering Initiatives, will gain momentum. The Ministry will intervene in distribution infrastructure, supplying transformers to communities without burdening citizens financially.
Rural electrification is a priority, with plans for solar-powered mini/micro grids and street lights. Collaborating closely with Discos and State Electricity Boards our efforts will align with local needs.
In order to improve the transmission infrastructure, we have reactivated the Presidential Power Initiative (Siemens Project) which will strengthen the national grid, and minimize technical losses. We will also be implementing the Eastern and Western super grid projects to strengthen the grid and increase electricity supply to demand centers in the country.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria will be reconstituted in the short term, separating Transmission services from System / Market operations in the first quarter of this year. In the medium to long-term the Transmission grid will be separated into regional grids to enable effective management.
Generating at installed capacity is a goal for government-owned plants, while private companies are encouraged to invest further. Off-grid/distributed generation, utilizing renewables, will be a focal point, solar pv plants, small hydro plants, and wind farms will be strategically deployed.
Tackling power theft and vandalism is paramount. This national responsibility requires joint efforts to protect our assets. The Ministry has informed the NSA of recorded cases, and collective action is essential to eliminate these setbacks.
