Lagos, Aug. 23, 2024 – Nigerian are not taking up the bulk of the increased power generated from the national grid.
Adebayo Adegoke, the Minister of Power, said Nigerians had failed to up the bulk of the record 5,155 megawatts of power generated in July due to distribution constraints.
He said this in Lagos on Thursday at the Board retreat of the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO).
Adegoke said Nigerian manufacturers and other bulk electricity users had boycotted the country’s national grid for lack of trust and confidence.
He, however, said the national grid is a more viable and reliable power source for bulk electricity consumers than other more expensive alternatives.
Adegoke said: “The majority of bulk electricity users, such as industries, are off the grid due to a lack of trust and confidence in the past.
“They now have their captive power plants in their industries, which is more expensive.
“The average cost of producing captive power is about N350 to N400 for those connected to gas lines. For diesel, it’s about N950, while petrol is about N550,″ he said.
Adegoke said efforts were being made to encourage bulk users to return to the grid.
“Once consumers and industries see the trust, the confidence and the stability we are giving, they would be encouraged and reconnect to the grid for cheaper source of power.
“We aim to attain the threshold of a new era in power delivery with a target of 6GW by end of December 2024 in the short term and the Federal Government is still focused on the vision 30-30-30,” he said.
“By 2030, we aim to achieve 30 gigawatts in the medium term, with renewable energy constituting 30 percent and universal access in the long term, it is imperative that we align on the principles guiding our activities and the strategies driving our progress,” the minister said.
