The Nigerian Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, held a press briefing on Friday, April 5th, 2024, where he addressed journalists and discussed Nigeria's power supply and the challenges faced by the country.
During the briefing, the Minister provided updates on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Germany to enhance power supply. He explained that the progress of the project had been delayed due to the impact of COVID-19.
The project was initially championed by the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and a new government took over in 2023. However, during the visit of the German Chancellor to Nigeria in November 2023, both countries expressed their commitment to continuing with the project.
An acceleration agreement was signed in December 2023, and the pilot phase of the project is nearing completion. The Minister emphasized the significant improvements the project would bring to the national grid and distribution companies.
Regarding the Zungeru power plant, the Minister clarified that the plant was complete and had been handed over to the concessionaire, Mainstream Energy Limited. While the technical handover process was still ongoing, testing had begun, and power generation had commenced. The Minister assured that the Zungeru power plant was connected to the national grid.
In response to questions about power plants receiving payments without providing power, the Minister assured that all power plants were generating power and no payments were being made without adequate supply. He highlighted the President's commitment to transparency and emphasized that such practices would not be tolerated.
When asked about the government's role in energy generation, distribution, and transmission, the Minister acknowledged the shortcomings of privatization in the power sector. However, he reiterated that privatization was still the way forward, as the government alone could not fund the necessary investments. The Minister reassured the public that measures would be implemented to ensure effective performance by private sector operators. He also emphasized the importance of the private sector's involvement and the need for the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to oversee their actions in the interest of the public.
Lastly, the Minister addressed concerns about categorizing areas with different power consumption capacities. He encouraged Nigerians to manage their electricity usage efficiently and report any service issues to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission. While he acknowledged the challenges, the Minister assured the public that the government was actively working towards improving the situation.
To conclude, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, provided updates on various projects aimed at enhancing Nigeria's power supply during the press briefing. He underscored the government's dedication to improving the national grid and distribution companies' efficiency.