Experts proffer solutions to Nigeria’s power sector challenges

Power sector experts are gathered at the summit in Abuja to reflect on the challenges facing the country’s power sector and how to address them at the National Development and Policy Analysis Summit in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Summit was hosted by Mr Ibrahim Hassan, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Policy, Development and Analysis, Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation.

The theme of the Summit is “The Endless Challenges of the Electricity Sector: A New Perspective”.

Hassan said the summit should bring together various stakeholders in the electricity sector to reflect and chart a way forward for the sector.

Hassan stressed that the issue of electricity has become of concern, adding that the country has the capacity to overcome the current energy challenges and move forward.

Dr Ransome Onwa, Managing Director of AITEO Group, said Nigeria’s energy challenges were caused by a systemic problem and all hands had to be on deck to save the situation.

According to him, the country is too big to light up at the same time, stressing that it is an impossible mission.

He recommended that for a 24-hour power supply, it would be necessary for different investors to focus on different regions of the country.

Another expert, Mr Magaji Mu’azu, said there was a need to reverse the privatization of the electricity sector.

According to him, the process of privatizing the country’s power sector was flawed and contributed to the current challenges that are disrupting the sector.

He said the professionals who had genuinely come to the sector were turned away and the sector was sold to people more interested in acquiring domestic assets.

He said the federal government should review the privatization process to correct anomalies and reform the sector for better service delivery.

Another expert, Mr Dauda Abdulaziz, said a return to the privatization process was not necessary.

Abdulaziz said there was a need to build capacity to move the sector forward.

According to him, electricity is an expensive investment and without capacity, the sector will not achieve anything.

A lawyer, Mr Mushod Sanusi, also said that it was necessary to remain focused on liberalizing the market.

“We should reform the process. During the privatization, people were invited but were never allowed to participate in the process. We have to sit down and rethink to get to the desired destination, ”said Sanusi.

An online participant, Alhaji Mohammed Sajo, urged the energy ministry to improve the culture of maintenance and put in place policies that would create jobs for teeming youth.

Likewise, Dr Roni Ajao instructed the Ministry of Energy to prioritize the electricity sector for better services to Nigerians.

In addition, Ms Nkechi Akubuiro said the lack of transparency and accountability, inefficient billing, metering and sourcing should be addressed. (NAN)