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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Former chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Professor Sam Amadi has painted a gloomy picture of the ownership or control of the distribution companies (DisCoS) by states, saying that the project will not last up to 10 years.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary of Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) in Abuja, Amadi noted that the idea of transferring regulation of electricity to states will surely flop with time
He blamed the lawmakers for not considering the long time effects of their actions before deliberating on them. According to him, the sector needs to stabilise before any amendment of the law.
“Nigerian electricity sector is tied to politics too much that if there’s a problem it mainly fits into policy- makers. They start looking for solutions and the solution becomes worse than the problem. I think we should have some stability to allow things to work” he stated.
Meanwhile, chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe explained that the senate does not have the power to discard the constitution completely. Rather, it can finetune the constitution.
According to him, any law that conflicts with the federal law is void.
“Our job is to fine-tune the constitution and not to discard it completely. However, it is precisely confronting these challenges that APGC has demonstrated its greatest value, providing a platform for collective problem-solving and unified advocacy that amplifies the voice of individual generation companies.
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“Looking ahead, the future of Nigeria’s energy transformation rests upon our collective commitment to innovation, investment, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. The power generation sector remains fundamental to our national development aspirations, and the role of APGC in facilitating dialogue, promoting best practices, and advocating for enabling policies cannot be overstated. As our nation pursues ambitious goals of energy access, economic diversification, and industrial growth, the contribution of generation companies and their representative association will be absolutely critical” he noted.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of APGC, Dr Joy Ogaji, said that the main challenge of the GenCoS is liquidity.
So, if half of the money is provided, GenCos will function seamlessly.
“The sector still faces recurring challenges, endemic liquidity challenges now hampering the operations of the GenCos, gas shortages, inadequate grid infrastructure, and regulatory uncertainty.
“These seeming endemic challenges are not insurmountable and not reasons for despair; they are reasons for resolve, because each challenge reminds us that progress requires strong political will, focused leadership, persistence and transformation demands unity.
“This anniversary is not just a celebration of where we are, but a call to action for where we must go toward a power sector that is viable, bankable, sustainable, transparent, and truly market driven,” she said.
