Following the over 200 per cent increase in the electricity tariff as approved by the federal government through the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC), some states in Nigeria have expressed their readiness to start generating power for their people.
President Bola Tinubu has in June 2023 signed the new Electricity Act into law following the calls by Nigerians that the power sector be reformed and removed from the exclusive list. the new law empowered states to generate, transmit and distribute power within their boundaries.
Photo Credit: Uba Sani, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Abba Kabir Yusuf
Source: Twitter
Many Nigerians believe this would help find a lasting solution to the country’s electricity problems as the new law replaced the 2005 Electricity and Power Sector Reform Act and promoted investments from the private sector.
According to The Punch, some of the states ready to key into the development are listed below:
Ekiti state
Taiwo Olatunbosun, the commissioner for information in Ekiti, disclosed that the government had domesticated the electricity law in the state, adding that electricity had been generated and transmitted through the Independent Power Project (IPP).
Olatunbosun stated that the state is keen on making Ekiti a place for investors, uplifting people’s social lives, and promoting their businesses by continuing to provide strategic intervention in electricity and other infrastructural development.
Lagos did not give up
Gbenga Omotosho, the state commissioner for information and strategy, said on Thursday, April 4, that Lagos had been at the forefront of championing independent electricity supply since the passing of its Electricity Act.
Omotoshosho said the state began to generate power when President Bola Tinubu was governor. He added that the state experienced some constraints then, but it did not give up on its mission.
Benue state
The North Central state has disclosed that efforts are ongoing to establish its power-generating firm.
Omale Omale, the state’s commissioner for power and transport disclosed this on Thursday, April 4, adding that the government had begun its transmission programme and policy in the electricity sector.
According to the commissioner, the government had begun a legal framework for the electricity law to help articulate modalities for the power sector in the state.
Nasarawa state
The state government said it had partnered with the Nigeria Off-Grid Market Acceleration Programme to develop and implement energy projects that would enhance and sustain electricity supply.
Ibrahim Abdullahi, the managing director of the state’s Investment and Development Agency (IDA), maintained that the partnership was a step toward making the state’s vision of becoming one of the top three economically competitive states in Nigeria a reality.
Kano state
The Kano state has also expressed readiness to begin generating power for people and companies, adding that its power projects are almost at completion.
According to the state’s director general of media and publicity, Sanusi Tofa, the government had begun the two independent power projects in Challawa Goje Tiga 10 years ago, during the second term of former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Tofa added that the projects were 90 per cent complete, and $40m was deposited in the company’s account to complete and take off the projects quickly.
According to The Punch, other states that have expressed their readiness are Kebbi, Osun, Ondo, Zamfara, Sokoto, Oyo, Edo, Kaduna, and Enugu.
Source: Legit.ng
