The-nigerian-power-sector-has-gone-from-bad-to-worse-under-thepresident-muhammadu-buhari-led-administration-any-of-his-advisers-telling-him-otherwise-are-deceivers
September 7, 2020 | News
THE NIGERIAN POWER SECTOR HAS GONE FROM BAD TO WORSE UNDER THE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI-LED ADMINISTRATION – ANY OF HIS ADVISERS TELLING HIM OTHERWISE ARE DECEIVERS
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. Those telling Mr. President that power supply has improved in the country under his era, are misleading and deceiving him. 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 suggest that Nigeria, with an overwhelming population that is fast approaching 200 million, can be said to be a nation with reliable energy/power supply. It does not tally at all.
As far we, and majority of the Nigerian masses can tell, the nation’s power sector has completely collapsed and failed. I do not know who are President Buhari’s close aides on Power and Energy, and what they have been doing since this administration came on board. Sometimes I seriously doubt if there are really Advisers or Special Assistants to Mr. President on Power and Energy. And I also doubt if President Buhari has a Minister of Power and energy in this country, considering how terribly bad the nation’s power sector has fallen in the last couple of years. President Buhari’s administration has performed poorly on Nigeria’s power and energy needs. Sometimes we wonder if they are aware of the fact that no country can develop in the complete or near absence of power. It is practically impossible! Which is why I do not understand the reason President Buhari has not sacked all the existing grossly-underperforming Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in the country? I really do not know why he is delaying to sack them. Nigeria has not had it so bad in power supply, in the history of country.
Agreed that the Nigerian Power sector has generally performed far below expectations in all the past Nigerian Governments, particularly from 1999. But with what has been happening under this administration, we really cannot say anything positive in this regard. It is painful that Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is amongst the lowest in the world and far lower than many other African countries. And every usual “self-praising” 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 requires desperate measures if we really want things to turn around for our good. It is regarded as being unreasonable, 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.
As noted, some 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 (South South) 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. He has the reputation; what is left is the will.”
Let us reiterate here that two things are completely wrong with the idea of national grid in Nigeria. One, there is a massive lack of investment to bring it up to par, with what is obtainable in the 21st century. Secondly, the Government does not have the ability nor the funds to properly operate a national grid. The whole power sector policy is completely wrong. We should have a power sector policy that ‘allow any entity anywhere to generate, transmit and distribute’. What this does is improve competition, improve quality and remove the blame game. when a generation entity generates electricity, and has the ability to transmit and distribute it where it is needed, they would ensure that they can accurately measure and deliver the electricity generated, unless they lose money. Right now, Generation Companies (GENCOs) are blaming Distribution Companies (DISCOs), DISCOs are blaming GENCOs, Transmission is blaming GENCOs and DISCOs. We believe the idea to allow generation entities to sell electricity directly to consumer is a good one, however it would not be effective because it is only to one kind of consumer. That is why we should allow generation entities to sell directly to consumers. We should allow DISCOs to generate electricity to transmit and distribute directly to consumer and ‘the transmission lines should be broken up to smaller regional transmission entities that would focus on smaller regions’. In other words, we totally agree with the idea of whittling down the national grid. It should exist only as a back-up.
Today, the same China, where our Nigerian dubious and wicked businessmen and their powerful interests in government are importing generators into the country (and therefore, are very comfortable with the statuesque), have gone light ahead to innovate more efficient and reliable source of energy for its population. Recently, it was reported that China has announced that the largest floating Photovoltaic (PV) facility on earth has finally been completed and connected to the country’s local power grid.
No nation across the globe has ever attained any significant measure of development, and has greatly improved the Standard of living of its citizenry, without having steady and reliable power supply. No country, whose economy is ‘generator-driven’ can ever attain significant development. It is impossible! So, our political leaders’ habit of going to China, Europe and the US to woo investors, is a mere waste of time and waste of public money because no investor will be willing to invest in a place where power supply is unreliable and absent, and the environment is hostile. That is the basic fact!
Zik Gbemre.
October 16, 2019
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
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. Those telling Mr. President that power supply has improved in the country under his era, are misleading and deceiving him. 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 suggest that Nigeria, with an overwhelming population that is fast approaching 200 million, can be said to be a nation with reliable energy/power supply. It does not tally at all.
As far we, and majority of the Nigerian masses can tell, the nation’s power sector has completely collapsed and failed. I do not know who are President Buhari’s close aides on Power and Energy, and what they have been doing since this administration came on board. Sometimes I seriously doubt if there are really Advisers or Special Assistants to Mr. President on Power and Energy. And I also doubt if President Buhari has a Minister of Power and energy in this country, considering how terribly bad the nation’s power sector has fallen in the last couple of years. President Buhari’s administration has performed poorly on Nigeria’s power and energy needs. Sometimes we wonder if they are aware of the fact that no country can develop in the complete or near absence of power. It is practically impossible! Which is why I do not understand the reason President Buhari has not sacked all the existing grossly-underperforming Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in the country? I really do not know why he is delaying to sack them. Nigeria has not had it so bad in power supply, in the history of country.
Agreed that the Nigerian Power sector has generally performed far below expectations in all the past Nigerian Governments, particularly from 1999. But with what has been happening under this administration, we really cannot say anything positive in this regard. It is painful that Nigeria’s per capita electricity consumption is amongst the lowest in the world and far lower than many other African countries. And every usual “self-praising” 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 requires desperate measures if we really want things to turn around for our good. It is regarded as being unreasonable, 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.
As noted, some 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 (South South) 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. He has the reputation; what is left is the will.”
Let us reiterate here that two things are completely wrong with the idea of national grid in Nigeria. One, there is a massive lack of investment to bring it up to par, with what is obtainable in the 21st century. Secondly, the Government does not have the ability nor the funds to properly operate a national grid. The whole power sector policy is completely wrong. We should have a power sector policy that ‘allow any entity anywhere to generate, transmit and distribute’. What this does is improve competition, improve quality and remove the blame game. when a generation entity generates electricity, and has the ability to transmit and distribute it where it is needed, they would ensure that they can accurately measure and deliver the electricity generated, unless they lose money. Right now, Generation Companies (GENCOs) are blaming Distribution Companies (DISCOs), DISCOs are blaming GENCOs, Transmission is blaming GENCOs and DISCOs. We believe the idea to allow generation entities to sell electricity directly to consumer is a good one, however it would not be effective because it is only to one kind of consumer. That is why we should allow generation entities to sell directly to consumers. We should allow DISCOs to generate electricity to transmit and distribute directly to consumer and ‘the transmission lines should be broken up to smaller regional transmission entities that would focus on smaller regions’. In other words, we totally agree with the idea of whittling down the national grid. It should exist only as a back-up.
Today, the same China, where our Nigerian dubious and wicked businessmen and their powerful interests in government are importing generators into the country (and therefore, are very comfortable with the statuesque), have gone light ahead to innovate more efficient and reliable source of energy for its population. Recently, it was reported that China has announced that the largest floating Photovoltaic (PV) facility on earth has finally been completed and connected to the country’s local power grid.
No nation across the globe has ever attained any significant measure of development, and has greatly improved the Standard of living of its citizenry, without having steady and reliable power supply. No country, whose economy is ‘generator-driven’ can ever attain significant development. It is impossible! So, our political leaders’ habit of going to China, Europe and the US to woo investors, is a mere waste of time and waste of public money because no investor will be willing to invest in a place where power supply is unreliable and absent, and the environment is hostile. That is the basic fact!
Zik Gbemre.
October 16, 2019
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes