Power Sector: What Atiku must do to get it right
By Chris Ekpenyong THE erratic power supply in Nigeria is generally believed to be the bane of economic and industrial development in the country. Many factors, including government inconsistencies and misguided power reform policies; inefficiency in power generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption; and the incompetent work force of energy companies, have contributed to the near collapse of the sector. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy, but it also has one of the widest energy gaps in the world. With a growing population, Nigeria urgently needs to improve its power sector. The country’s current installed capacity is reported at 12,500 megawatts, but in practice it is only 3,200 megawatts. The government’s aim is to boost electricity access from 45 percent today to 90 percent by 2030, which will drive even more demand. The government privatised part of the power sector in 2013, hoping to promote efficiency, attract private investment, and increase generation, but thi...