NIGERIA’S POWER CRISIS: TIME TO MOVE BEYOND PROMISES

Nigeria's persistent electricity crisis remains a significant barrier to economic growth and social progress. Despite numerous promises and commitments from successive administrations, millions of Nigerians still face unreliable electricity supply. During the 2023 presidential campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pledged to provide stable electricity, urging citizens to reconsider their support if he fails to meet this expectation.

However, measuring Tinubu's commitment requires examining the current state of electricity in the country. Nigeria, rich in natural gas, water resources and other energy potentials, continues to struggle with a significant electricity deficit. Over 300 containers of crucial electricity equipment, including transformers and cables, have been stranded at Nigerian ports for 14 to 20 years due to administrative bottlenecks, unpaid charges and bureaucratic failures, further exacerbating the problem.

President Tinubu has directed authorities to clear these stranded assets, but it questions why it took presidential intervention for this basic responsibility to be fulfilled. Accountability is crucial; those responsible for the equipment's abandonment must be investigated. Additionally, Nigeria's expenditure on the power sector has been substantial without corresponding improvements in supply quality and reliability.

Despite billions of naira invested in interventions, the national grid remains unstable, with inadequate generation, constrained transmission infrastructure, and unreliable distribution. The privatisation of the power sector in 2013, touted as a major turning point, has not yielded the expected efficiency and improved service. Consumers continue to grapple with poor supply, arbitrary billing, weak customer service, and inefficient distribution infrastructure.

Privatisation has not translated into the expected improvements; instead, it has resulted in the continued collection of bills from consumers who often receive unreliable service. The economic repercussions are significant, with small and medium-sized businesses folding due to high alternative electricity costs, manufacturing industries reducing operations or shutting down, and labor markets facing increased unemployment.

Nigeria cannot achieve economic diversification, industrialization, and poverty reduction while treating reliable electricity as a luxury instead of a fundamental requirement for growth. Moving forward, the Federal Government must ensure that relevant agencies perform their duties promptly and hold those responsible for delays accountable.

Moreover, the outcomes of public expenditures must be transparently monitored and reported. Privatisation efforts should focus on achieving tangible improvements in efficiency and accountability rather than merely generating revenue.