THE Federal Government has challenged state governments in Nigeria to understudy the success story of the Geometric Power Limited model in Aba, Abia State, and replicate it in their respective states.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said this in Abuja on Friday, March 1, at the 7th edition of the Nigerian International Energy Summit.
Adelabu said with the new Electricity Act, no state in Nigeria had any reason not to close power supply gaps in its underserved areas.
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According to the minister, the new Electricity Act supports independent power projects in states as the people of Aba in Abia State are celebrating uninterrupted power supply following the installation of 188 megawatts power generating plant by the Geometric Power Plant.
“We have the enabling Act to do this and I believe that we’ll use Abia State as a point of contact, to appeal to all state governments to start playing their role and fulfilling their electoral promises to their people during their campaign that they would provide power.
”The Electricity Act of 2023 has allowed this, the President, the government has done what they’re supposed to do, they have moved the power sector from the executive legislative list to the concurrent list so that every level of government can play in it, even the private sector can play in it. So what are we waiting for,” he said.
He also disclosed the Federal Government’s plans to establish smaller electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in underserved communities across the country to strengthen supply.
The minister who expressed concerns about the distribution companies as the weakest link in the nation’s power network, said the government planned to intervene by providing certain infrastructures to the underserved areas.
According to the minister, his ministry has provisions in the budget to intervene in the provision of transformers and electric poles for communities in areas that are not so attractive to the DisCos.
“We are also saying that there will be licensing of smaller DisCos for small communities, where the existing DisCos are not making an impact. We may not have to revoke their licence but their catchment areas can be redistributed when the particular DisCo is not performing.
“So we are in talks to the DisCos to up their game, because whatever we do in generation and transmission, if it does not get to the last mile in connection, Nigerians will not see us doing anything. The discos are the major touch point for us, and I’m promising that in my time, there is going to be a transformation,” he said.
Adelabu also urged the DisCos to increase investment in the sector, noting that the sector required huge investments for effective service delivery.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.