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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Minister of Power, Engineer Abubakar Aliyu, has promised to create jobs in the industry, promote competition and bring in more participants in the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM).
Speaking in his first 50 days in office, the minister said that although he met some challenges of service quality and sector illiquidity, he would not be deterred on his focus to improve services in terms of billing transparency and accuracy; create liquidity in the electricity market and accelerate progress and completion of key projects of the ministry.
“My immediate focus is how to achieve the following through effective policy and regulation and co-operative engagement with private and public sector operators;
create liquidity in the electricity market, improve services in terms of hours of supply, billing transparency and accuracy, and wider access to electricity.
Others are to bring consumer, operator and investor confidence back to the sector to attract foreign and local investment into the sector; create jobs, promote competition and bring in more participants in the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM).
According to him, his key projects are to fix Kashimbilla power station, Gurara phase 2, Zungeru Power Mambilla Plant and others.
“Kashimbilla 40MW power station has already started generating power into the National Grid.
“Gurara Phase 2 being developed in partnership with Ministry of Water Resources will soon be ready to deliver 30MW to the grid.
Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project is progressing towards completion next year to deliver another 700MW of renewable power.
“Katsina Wind farm is with a full capacity of 10MW is already generating part of its full capacity on the grid.
“Dadin Kowa 40MW Power Station started generating power into the National Grid under a concession with the private investor. The remaining regulatory and power purchase agreement issues are being resolved.
“Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project was contracted in 2017. Discussions are being intensified so that all encumbrances preventing full take off of the project are resolved soon.
“TCN’s Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Program funded by various multilateral financial institutions to ensure adequacy and stability of the National Grid.
“Systematic implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) of this administration. Siemens Nigeria and the Federal Government in 2020 entered into a Power
Infrastructure revamp agreement. It is a government-to-
government agreement. The Nigerian Electrification Roadmap (NER) is a partnership that will expand Nigeria’s electricity capacity from the current average output 4,500MWh/h to 25,000MW. We are confident that the NER will succeed because of the pedigree of Siemens and their footprint in the Global Power Industry” he said.
According to him, the first phase of the PPI is the upgrading and expansion of the vital infrastructure of the TCN and Discos with the end goal of achieving 7,000MW.
“This first phase started in earnest this year, with the ongoing pre-engineering phase. The selected EPC Contractors will soon be contracted officially so work on the project implementation can commence” he assured.
