News
Declare State Of Emergency In The Power Sector- Stakeholders Urges FG
Stakeholders in the Power Sector have called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency for total overhauling of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the country.
They made the call in Abuja at the Third edition of Civil Society Roundtable discussion with Stakeholders in the Power sector .
The stakeholders argued that the Nation could not develop without the Power sector; hence the urgent need for state of emergency.
Addressing the stakeholders, the president of the Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG), comrade Ogakwu Dominic Ogakwu said despite the investment of over $16 billion spent by previous administrations, Nigeria could only generate 5000 megawatts of electricity as against the current capacity of over 11,000 megawatts needed by consumers.
Comrade Ogakwu said: “Even more worrisome is our inability to equitably distribute our generated capacity while faced with a stark reality that productivity and industrialization of any nation is hinged on Power supply.”
He explained that the roundabout was to proffer solutions to the “critical challenges” of the power sector in the short term and suggest what could sustain the power supply in the long run.
“The responsibility to get things right should not just rest on the regulator or electricity distribution companies alone, but civil society and electricity consumers must join hands to demand and direct the trajectory for improving service delivery as constitutionally required,” he advised.
Declaring the event open, The Minister of power, Abubakar Aliyu revealed that government had initiated a series of reforms, including the vision 30-2030 and the strong desire to complete all the power projects across the country.
Represented by the director, Reform Coordination and service improvement in the Ministry, Titilayo Agbeyo, the Minister said government would continue to play it’s role in providing the enabling environment for stakeholders and investors.
Highpoints of the Roundtable included presentation of power sector documentary to the Stakeholders and certificate of performance to the Minister of power.
The event, which brought together hundreds of participants from across the country, had as its theme “Boosting Nigeria’s power sector performance for overall socio-economic development of the nation”.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported its seventh partial grid collapse in 2024. Despite the recurring issue, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, reassured the public that efforts to restore power are well underway, with about 90% of substations receiving bulk power.
Mbah noted that the Azura Power Station initiated the grid recovery, although a minor setback occurred. However, power supply has been restored to the Abuja region and other key distribution centers. The Ibom Gas Generating Station remained unaffected, continuing to supply power to the South-South region.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse will commence once full grid restoration is achieved.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic tanker explosion in Jigawa State, which claimed over 100 lives. In a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, extended condolences to the affected families, praying for strength and comfort in their time of grief.
Shettima assured the public that the federal government is mobilizing resources to support the injured and assist those affected. He has directed the immediate deployment of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide aid. The Vice President also stressed the need for a review of fuel transportation safety protocols to prevent future incidents.
In a separate statement, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu offered her condolences to Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi and the people of Jigawa, praying for peace and comfort for the families affected. She called the incident “unfortunate” and extended prayers for the recovery of the injured and the repose of the souls lost in the tragedy.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that it intercepted a total of 10,598 pieces of arms and 114,929 rounds of ammunition valued at N9.58 billion over the past six years. Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this disclosure during a press conference on enforcement activities in Zone A.
Adeniyi highlighted that 60% of these seizures occurred in 2023, reflecting the Customs’ increased efforts to curb arms smuggling. He also mentioned that recent operations such as Operation Whirlwind and Operation Swift Sting are part of a strategic response to tackle evolving smuggling tactics.
In addition to arms seizures, the Customs CG announced the largest pangolin scale seizure since 2020, with 9,493 kg of scales confiscated in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission. The joint operation led to four arrests across Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos. The NCS continues to intensify efforts against wildlife trafficking, targeting supply routes in northern Nigeria and border areas.
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