Category: Energy

NERC unbundles TCN, establishes new operator

Aminu Imam
NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), has restructured the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN), by establishing the Nigerian Independent System Operator of Nigeria Limited, (NISO). This development was announced in an order signed by the  Commission’s Chairman, Sanusi Garba and Vice-Chairman, Muslim Oseni, in Abuja yesterday. This is coming almost four years after the company said it was consulting stakeholders as it moves to implement the unbundling of the TCN into two entities. The company said all market and system operation responsibilities will be transferred from TCN to the newly…

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FG orders sale of failed KEDCO, AEDC, Benin, Kaduna DisCos, unbundles 11 others

Aminu Imam
FG on DisCos

Power distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria are currently being unbundled along State lines due to their large sizes that often result in efficiency and ineffectiveness, the Federal Government declared on Monday. It stated that the privatisation of the firms would not be reversed, but stressed that the DisCos would be broken into more efficient structures along State lines so as to be able to deliver on their mandates. This came as the Federal Government also ordered the sale of DisCos that have been taken over by banks and the Assets…

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Nigerian students demand resignation of Power Minister, Adelabu in 7 days

Aminu Imam
NANS Adelabu

…Threatens protest The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded the immediate resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, over the poor electricity situation in the country. NANS further called on other ministers who they claimed are not active to step down from their positions, threatening to organise a protest at the Ministry of Power if their demand was not met within the next seven days. The national student body issued a notice of protest at the Ministry of Power, saying that they stand united in their demand…

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“Expect more increase in electricity tariff” – FG tells Nigerians

Aminu Imam

Two days after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), approved increase of electricity tariff for customers under the Band-A classification, the Federal Government has hinted that a similar measure would be extended to others. Speaking at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said the recent increase in electricity tariff is a pilot in phasing out of electricity subsidy in the country. He said the Government plans to remove all subsidies in the sector to allow the thriving of investment in the power sector. The Minister said:…

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FG issues 13 new Power Generation, Distribution licences

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has issued 13 new licences for the generation of off-grid and embedded power, independent electricity distribution, as well as for the trading of electricity. The NERC said the new licences were issued in the third quarter of 2023, as the cumulative quantum of electricity to be generated by the licensees was 40.9 megawatts (MWs). Providing further explanation on the 13 new power generation, distribution and trading licences, the NERC in its report stated that Daybreak Power Solutions Limited received eight…

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Nationwide blackout, as national grid collapses again

Aminu Imam

…’Vandals attacked Abuja transmission line’ – TCN The national grid system, operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), collapsed in the early hours of yesterday, throwing the entire country into blackout. This comes barely 3 months after the grid collapsed twice within a space of more than 12 hours leaving the nation in total darkness. But, the TCN, via a press statement issued yesterday, said its Gwagwalada-Kukwaba-Apo 132KV Transmission Line-1, in the Abuja axis, was attacked by suspected vandals. The statement released by Ndidi Mbah, the TCN General Manager,…

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“Fix Warri Refinery; stop deceiving Nigerians”, IPMAN to FG

Aminu Imam

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN), has called on the Federal Government to fix Warri Refinery and stop deceiving Nigerians under the guise of Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) while they are doing nothing. Chairman, Electoral Committee, Warri Depot and National Officer, IPMAN Mid-West zone, Chief Ben Odjugo, made this call in Warri, Delta State, during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of IPMAN, Warri Depot, held at Government House, Annex, Warri. The Association also appealed to the Federal Government to make petroleum products available to Warri Depot, just as they…

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FG mulls handing over power utilities to State governments

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government is considering handing over its stake in 11 power utilities to State governments to improve oversight and address the country’s chronic power shortages, the minister of power said on Friday. The FG holds a 40% interest in 11 power distribution companies (DISCOs), which were privatised a decade ago, each of which operates a franchise spanning three or more states. According to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, the Federal Government is open to swapping its shares in the DISCOs for shares in the privately managed Niger-Delta Power…

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Alarm, as Nigeria’s refineries collapse by 92% – World Energy Report 

Aminu Imam

The World Energy 2023 Report has unearthed a staggering decline of 92% in Nigeria’s crude oil refining output over the past ten years, raising concerns about the country’s energy sector. From a robust production level of 92,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2012, the output plummeted drastically to a meagre 6,000 bpd in 2022, representing a significant drop in refining capacity. This data, detailed in the 72nd edition of the Energy Institute’s report, corroborates the findings in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Annual Statistical Bulletin 2023. OPEC’s…

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Electricity Projects: H/Reps. summons CBN, DisCos, over $321m, N18.2bn loans

Aminu Imam

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called upon the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCcs) to account for loans totalling $321 million and N18.2 billion, which were allocated for accelerating transmission, distribution interface, lines, and substation projects. This summons was issued on Thursday, during the appearance of the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdul-Aziz, before the committee. The Committee’s Chairman, Bamidele Salam, stated that these loans were obtained during the previous administration to improve…

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