Original image, Reuters
- Writer, Umar Mikail
- Name the person who wrote the story, BBC News, Abuja
One of the most used words by Nigerians over the years is “Nepa” – the former National Electric Power Authority.
The word is also famous because of the amount of electricity it brings to the country, which has the largest population and one of the largest economies in Africa.
This week alone, the country’s main power line has been downed twice, after it went down three times in two days in October.
The main line has been damaged a total of 10 times by 2024, throwing almost the entire country into darkness every time this happens.
Also, the people of the northern part of the country have not yet recovered from the losses they suffered as a result of the power outage in the region for at least 10 days at the end of October.
Analysts say that the newly signed Electricity Act of 2023 expands the power generation and distribution, especially to state governments, unlike the previous federal government that was solely responsible for this.
Data shows that Nigeria can produce 3,000MW to 5,000MW of electricity daily out of the 13,000MW that it can produce from. About 75 percent comes from natural gas, and most of the remaining 35 percent comes from dams.
Reports indicate that some state governments have already begun efforts to generate electricity for themselves.
States that consider it illegal
Original image, Reuters
In Nigeria, Lagos State is the leader in domestic electricity production, and this is not surprising because it is the largest economy among the 36 states in the country.
It is the state that has employees especially in the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources and the Lagos State Electricity Board.
Between 2011 and 2015, LSEB installed four power stations to improve electricity in homes, and provide street lighting.
One of the provisions of the new electricity is to allow individuals and companies to provide electricity.
In August 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) granted MTN a license to generate 15.94 MW of electricity in Lagos state.
NERC said the license it gave to the company and four others is for their own use and not to sell to customers, and they will provide electricity in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, and Cross River states.
They will produce a total of 109.69 MW of electricity.
In May 2024, the Kano state government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf announced the formation of a committee that will study and create a law that will take care of the electrical sector in the state.
During a visit to the office of the National Electricity Authority on May 9, the team stated that they hope that the law they expect to create will help to improve the electricity that the people of the state get, especially for industries.
Last Thursday, the governor of Ekiti state in the south of Nigeria, Biodun Oyebanji, announced that his government has given licenses to some companies to produce and distribute electricity in the state.
A statement published by the governor on his social media page said four companies have been granted licenses so far.
- Four production companies
- Three distribution companies
- The company built two small power lines
- Five meter supply companies
“This initiative will improve the means of production, distribution of electricity, and the provision of electricity meters to the residents of the state,” according to the announcement.
He confirmed that his state of Ekiti is getting 20 to 25 mega watts from the national grid, “which is short of the 120 MW they need”.
According to him: “Our goal is to reach 130 MW by building a strong line that will make us less dependent on the underground line… as stipulated by the 2023 electricity law.”
‘Northern states have the most sources of electricity’
Original image, TCN
Professor Bilkisu Saidu is an energy expert at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto state, and she said that if the northern states of Nigeria would have persisted, they would have benefited more.
“What they should understand is that God has blessed the part we came from (northern Nigeria) with the strength of the sun, it is said that there can be fire for nine hours from the strength of the day in the region,” he said. facing.
She added that a long time ago some states in the south of Nigeria have started to create conditions that will improve the electricity in the states by connecting and cutting.
“The main problem is that the northern states do not take the electricity sector seriously,” said the professor.
Already, some groups from the north of the country have expressed their intention to take the Nigerian government to court to seek compensation for the losses they incurred as a result of the 11-day power outage.
However, the Nigerian government accused the bandits who are attacking in the region of destroying the power line in Niger state in the north-central part of the country.
