ON NIGERIA MAKES HISTORY AS POWER GENERATION HITS 5,552.8MW FOR THE FIRST TIME - NOTHING BUT BOOK TALKS AND PROPAGANDA
January 12, 2021 | News
In their usual style of always singing praises of themselves and their supposed achievements, the relevant Authorities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TNC) under the present Buhari administration has recently come out to tell the world that Nigeria has recorded an all-time power generation peak of 5,552.8 Megawatts (MW), the Transmission Company of Nigeria announced on Thursday.
ON NIGERIA MAKES HISTORY AS POWER GENERATION HITS 5,552.8MW FOR THE FIRST TIME - NOTHING BUT BOOK TALKS AND PROPAGANDA
In their usual style of always singing praises of themselves and their supposed achievements, the relevant Authorities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TNC) under the present Buhari administration has recently come out to tell the world that Nigeria has recorded an all-time power generation peak of 5,552.8 Megawatts (MW), the Transmission Company of Nigeria announced on Thursday. According to TCN, the new peak power generation, which was recorded at 8.15pm on Wednesday (6th Jan.2021), was successfully transmitted across the grid to power Distributors.
This, to me, is all book talks and propaganda far from the ‘realities on ground’ because the fact still remains that the majority of Nigerians are living in darkness, and the Nigerian economy is still “Generator-Driven.” The problem I have with this Government, including the ones before it, is this habit of always praising themselves whenever they record a little achievement, which is often like a drop of water in an ocean.
Without mincing words, the Nigerian Power Sector, which comprises of power generation, transmission and distribution in the country, have gone from bad to worse under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Any of the President’s Advisers telling him otherwise, and the relevant Authorities saying something else different, are nothing but deceivers trying to make themselves look good in the eyes of the Presidency and the Nigerian people. To put it bluntly, there is no power supply in Nigeria. Considering the number of those who might be privileged to have few hours of power supply in a day (or sometimes in a whole week), in some places across the country; it does not in any way suggest that Nigeria, with an overwhelming population of over 200 million people, can be said to be a nation with reliable energy/power supply. It does not tally at all.
It is a shame Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is just seven per cent of Brazil’s and about three per cent of South Africa’s. Brazil has 100,000MW (Megawatts) of grid-based generating capacity for a population of 201 million people. South Africa has 40,000MW of grid-based generating capacity for a population of about 60 million people. We can see the clear-cut disparity and reason why we are practically taking one step forward and two steps backward in our industrialization aspirations. Yet, other countries in Africa, and those in Asia like China, have gone light ahead to innovate more efficient and reliable sources of energy for its population. Yet, here we are making noise over the generation of 5,552.8 Megawatts of electricity, for a population that is over 200 million.
And our usual “self-praising” Federal Government would always come out to tell Nigerians that the nation’s power generation has improved more than before, yet Nigerians are not seeing/enjoying this so-called improved power outputs, as practically everyone that can afford it, is still using one generator or the order to sustain life at their homes and businesses. How can a ‘Generator-Driven-Economy’ develop in this modern jet age? The usual language of: “power generation has improved more than before,” has become a public propaganda by Nigerian Governments. However, they fail to realize that Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution are very visible and can be seen by Nigerians if actually there is significant improvements. The Nigerian public will be the best judge to access and give proper report on the nation’s power sector if there is any improvement or not, especially in Power Distribution.
It is believed that desperate times often require desperate measures if we really want things to turn around for our good. It is regarded as being foolish, for one to keep doing the same thing over and over and each time be expecting a different result. We simply cannot afford not to address the nation’s power sector problem if we really want to become relevant as a nation, in this 21st century. This is why we have repeatedly advised on the need for the Federal Government and the Ministry of Power to declare a State of Emergency on the nation’s power sector and start doing things differently.
The problems and the solutions to the Nigerian power sector issue, can be said to be wrapped up in this statement few years ago by a public affairs analyst, Hope Eghagha: “A national grid I am told refers to the network of high voltage power lines between major power stations. All power stations which generate electricity make sure they feed their generated units into a system that services the whole country. It is from the national grid that the states or other parts of the country are supplied with electricity. For a national grid to be effective it needs to be equipped with infrastructure to receive the amount of Megawatts which are generated by the different stations. I am told, (I am willing to be corrected by the Federal Ministry of Power) that the national grid cannot carry any Megawatts beyond six to eight thousand. I am also informed that the IPPs across the country currently generate about fourteen thousand Megawatts or more. The problem is once the grid exceeds its capacity it collapses. So, each day, there are about eight thousand megawatts of generated power lying idle. If it is true, is somebody playing games with present and future Nigeria?
If the installed capacity of the national grid cannot accommodate more than eight thousand megawatts, as I was told, would it not make sense to dispense with the national grid and allow the generated power to be supplied directly to consumers? For instance, if the amount of power generated by the Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in Lagos can give Lagos and Ogun States 24-hour supply, would it not be better to take the Lagos IPPs out of the sick national grid, at least until we have the required infrastructure? Would it not also make sense for the IPPs in the Niger Delta or Sokoto or Kano or Sapele to supply power to their immediate environment? What do we stand to lose? What are the existing laws that make such a change of policy impossible?
"It beats the imagination that there is no part of the country that has regular power supply. This is because we have all been lumped together by a weak link – the national grid. It is my considered layman’s view that Abuja, if de-linked from the national grid, can have twenty-four hours of uninterrupted power supply if the IPPs and distribution companies there are efficient. It is also my view that Aba, de-linked from the notorious national grid can generate enough power to keep its industries running twenty-four hours non-stop. If it is the current federalism which we practice that has locked us all in infinite darkness, the time has come to change course – the Federal Ministry of Power, indeed the Federal Government should do away with the inefficient, lack-of-capacity national grid.
"Any government which wants to stimulate the economy has to pay attention to power generation and supply. The current Buhari Government has to think out of the box. Just picture the millions who do not directly depend on government salaries to get on in life. The artisans, the hairdressers, the barbers, the plumbers, the furniture maker, the technicians, even Mama Akara’s business will grow once we stabilize power. It is not the nuclear plant of five years to come that will change electricity supply in Nigeria. It is the little acts of commonsense of today. I have addressed the issue as a layman. But let me also admit that I interviewed some colleagues in Electrical Engineering, some knowledgeable persons in the field and did some library and internet research before making my assertions. I know that most nations have the national grid. I also know that not everyone in those countries is on the national grid. There are alternative sources of power. I do not see why a battery of solar panels in the Sahara Desert cannot supply power to Sokoto and Kano States or the entire northern states of Nigeria. I do not see why wind and water energy from the river cannot supply power to the Niger Delta or all the coastal States.
“Let it also be said that there are some very powerful interests who enjoy the current state of things in the power sector. These include the sharks who would rather give estimated bills than provide meters that can give an accurate power consumption rate. The importers of generators and their foreign counterparts would also like to see Nigeria remain in the throes of darkness. But the change of thinking and approach is what Nigeria voted President Buhari to confront. He must therefore roll up his sleeves and end the nonsense that is going on in the power sector.
Zik Gbemre.
January 12, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
In their usual style of always singing praises of themselves and their supposed achievements, the relevant Authorities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TNC) under the present Buhari administration has recently come out to tell the world that Nigeria has recorded an all-time power generation peak of 5,552.8 Megawatts (MW), the Transmission Company of Nigeria announced on Thursday. According to TCN, the new peak power generation, which was recorded at 8.15pm on Wednesday (6th Jan.2021), was successfully transmitted across the grid to power Distributors.
This, to me, is all book talks and propaganda far from the ‘realities on ground’ because the fact still remains that the majority of Nigerians are living in darkness, and the Nigerian economy is still “Generator-Driven.” The problem I have with this Government, including the ones before it, is this habit of always praising themselves whenever they record a little achievement, which is often like a drop of water in an ocean.
Without mincing words, the Nigerian Power Sector, which comprises of power generation, transmission and distribution in the country, have gone from bad to worse under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Any of the President’s Advisers telling him otherwise, and the relevant Authorities saying something else different, are nothing but deceivers trying to make themselves look good in the eyes of the Presidency and the Nigerian people. To put it bluntly, there is no power supply in Nigeria. Considering the number of those who might be privileged to have few hours of power supply in a day (or sometimes in a whole week), in some places across the country; it does not in any way suggest that Nigeria, with an overwhelming population of over 200 million people, can be said to be a nation with reliable energy/power supply. It does not tally at all.
It is a shame Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is just seven per cent of Brazil’s and about three per cent of South Africa’s. Brazil has 100,000MW (Megawatts) of grid-based generating capacity for a population of 201 million people. South Africa has 40,000MW of grid-based generating capacity for a population of about 60 million people. We can see the clear-cut disparity and reason why we are practically taking one step forward and two steps backward in our industrialization aspirations. Yet, other countries in Africa, and those in Asia like China, have gone light ahead to innovate more efficient and reliable sources of energy for its population. Yet, here we are making noise over the generation of 5,552.8 Megawatts of electricity, for a population that is over 200 million.
And our usual “self-praising” Federal Government would always come out to tell Nigerians that the nation’s power generation has improved more than before, yet Nigerians are not seeing/enjoying this so-called improved power outputs, as practically everyone that can afford it, is still using one generator or the order to sustain life at their homes and businesses. How can a ‘Generator-Driven-Economy’ develop in this modern jet age? The usual language of: “power generation has improved more than before,” has become a public propaganda by Nigerian Governments. However, they fail to realize that Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution are very visible and can be seen by Nigerians if actually there is significant improvements. The Nigerian public will be the best judge to access and give proper report on the nation’s power sector if there is any improvement or not, especially in Power Distribution.
It is believed that desperate times often require desperate measures if we really want things to turn around for our good. It is regarded as being foolish, for one to keep doing the same thing over and over and each time be expecting a different result. We simply cannot afford not to address the nation’s power sector problem if we really want to become relevant as a nation, in this 21st century. This is why we have repeatedly advised on the need for the Federal Government and the Ministry of Power to declare a State of Emergency on the nation’s power sector and start doing things differently.
The problems and the solutions to the Nigerian power sector issue, can be said to be wrapped up in this statement few years ago by a public affairs analyst, Hope Eghagha: “A national grid I am told refers to the network of high voltage power lines between major power stations. All power stations which generate electricity make sure they feed their generated units into a system that services the whole country. It is from the national grid that the states or other parts of the country are supplied with electricity. For a national grid to be effective it needs to be equipped with infrastructure to receive the amount of Megawatts which are generated by the different stations. I am told, (I am willing to be corrected by the Federal Ministry of Power) that the national grid cannot carry any Megawatts beyond six to eight thousand. I am also informed that the IPPs across the country currently generate about fourteen thousand Megawatts or more. The problem is once the grid exceeds its capacity it collapses. So, each day, there are about eight thousand megawatts of generated power lying idle. If it is true, is somebody playing games with present and future Nigeria?
If the installed capacity of the national grid cannot accommodate more than eight thousand megawatts, as I was told, would it not make sense to dispense with the national grid and allow the generated power to be supplied directly to consumers? For instance, if the amount of power generated by the Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in Lagos can give Lagos and Ogun States 24-hour supply, would it not be better to take the Lagos IPPs out of the sick national grid, at least until we have the required infrastructure? Would it not also make sense for the IPPs in the Niger Delta or Sokoto or Kano or Sapele to supply power to their immediate environment? What do we stand to lose? What are the existing laws that make such a change of policy impossible?
"It beats the imagination that there is no part of the country that has regular power supply. This is because we have all been lumped together by a weak link – the national grid. It is my considered layman’s view that Abuja, if de-linked from the national grid, can have twenty-four hours of uninterrupted power supply if the IPPs and distribution companies there are efficient. It is also my view that Aba, de-linked from the notorious national grid can generate enough power to keep its industries running twenty-four hours non-stop. If it is the current federalism which we practice that has locked us all in infinite darkness, the time has come to change course – the Federal Ministry of Power, indeed the Federal Government should do away with the inefficient, lack-of-capacity national grid.
"Any government which wants to stimulate the economy has to pay attention to power generation and supply. The current Buhari Government has to think out of the box. Just picture the millions who do not directly depend on government salaries to get on in life. The artisans, the hairdressers, the barbers, the plumbers, the furniture maker, the technicians, even Mama Akara’s business will grow once we stabilize power. It is not the nuclear plant of five years to come that will change electricity supply in Nigeria. It is the little acts of commonsense of today. I have addressed the issue as a layman. But let me also admit that I interviewed some colleagues in Electrical Engineering, some knowledgeable persons in the field and did some library and internet research before making my assertions. I know that most nations have the national grid. I also know that not everyone in those countries is on the national grid. There are alternative sources of power. I do not see why a battery of solar panels in the Sahara Desert cannot supply power to Sokoto and Kano States or the entire northern states of Nigeria. I do not see why wind and water energy from the river cannot supply power to the Niger Delta or all the coastal States.
“Let it also be said that there are some very powerful interests who enjoy the current state of things in the power sector. These include the sharks who would rather give estimated bills than provide meters that can give an accurate power consumption rate. The importers of generators and their foreign counterparts would also like to see Nigeria remain in the throes of darkness. But the change of thinking and approach is what Nigeria voted President Buhari to confront. He must therefore roll up his sleeves and end the nonsense that is going on in the power sector.
Zik Gbemre.
January 12, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes