Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, says the federal government has implemented a presidential power initiative to improve the country’s electricity supply.
Adelabu stated this at a ministerial press briefing series organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the federal government has implemented a presidential metre initiative to reduce the number of unmetered customers in the country.
He said:
“There is also the Presidential Meter Initiative (PMI) put in place to ensure that the metering gap is addressed.”
“And we also have a lot of development banks that are working with us on several projects in transmission and distribution.
“So, as a ministry, we are committed to making an impact during this administration.”
Adelabu stated that the government is also increasing the number of generation companies and that much work is being done in the transmission segment.
The minister explained that while the government had invested in gas-to-power infrastructure and implemented policies to encourage private investment, many people still lack access to electricity.
According to him, the government made data-driven decisions by working with experts to create the integrated energy planning toolkit.
He said:
“This innovative tool provides real-time data to pinpoint ideal locations for renewable energy projects streamlining investment decisions.”
“We have developed legal frameworks that have liberalised the entire electricity value chain, integrated renewable energy.
“Established an Independent Systems Operator (ISO), guidelines for franchising, captive power and mini-grid regulations.
“In addition, programmes being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency have been successful in providing traditional and innovative financing opportunities for private sector driven interconnected and off-grid project delivery.”
On April 3, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a tariff increase for Band A customers.
Customers on B and A receive 20 to 24 hours of power supply throughout the country.