Nigeria’s Electricity Problem: DisCos must sit up or leave – Minister

Nigeria’s major electricity problem is in the transmission and distribution of electricity, the power minister, Saleh Mamman, has said.

Mr Mamman told journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting Wednesday that he submitted a report to the FEC on the problem.

He said Nigeria is currently able to generate 13,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity but can only transmit about 7,000MW and can only distribute about 3,000 MW.

“Nigeria can generate up to 13,000 megawatts of electricity but we cannot transmit all,” he said.

So today, we presented to the council the solution to the problem of our generation. It is mainly distribution. We can generate 13,000 megawatts, we can transmit 7,000 megawatts but can only distribute 3,000.”

After Nigeria’s electricity privatisation programme, the government privatised the generation and distribution companies with government only manning the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Mr Mamman said the distribution companies are a major hindrance to the success of the electricity sector and must sit up or “give way.”