Nigerians are intensifying calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revoke the licenses of electricity distribution companies, Discos.
This stems from the worsened epileptic power supply, which has made life hellish for the citizens in the past three months.
In addition to over a decade of failed post-privatization power sector, electricity consumers pay for power supply they rarely get.
Whether in Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Edo, or Kaduna states, electricity distribution companies, generation companies, and transmission companies have made darkness a common factor nationwide.
Irrespective of the customers’ service bands, the abysmal power supply has become normal for Nigerians.
For over a decade, Nigeria’s power challenges have continued to hit the citizens badly.
With 92 million out of over 200 million Nigerians without power access, Nigeria quickly passes for the country with the lowest access to electricity globally.
Despite having 22,000 megawatts generating capacity, the country has struggled to generate between 4,000 and 5,000 megawatts for decades.
More worrisome is the fact that generation has dropped to below 4,000MW in recent months for a population of more than 200 million people.
Poor electricity supply has been a pain for Nigerians, and there is no end despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda. Businesses are worse hit.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria said the power sector crisis cost members N10.1 trillion yearly; the value is nearly two per cent of the Country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
The Federal Government’s agenda to solve power sector problems has been opaque.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, four days ago, threatened to revoke DisCos’ licenses over the continued drop in power supply.
He has consistently asked Nigerians to be patient while he rallied for a solution to the country’s power challenges.
At one point, the Nigerian Government promised to settle debts owed to gas companies to the tune of N2.6 trillion; at another time, he lamented the homogeneous electricity subsidies, which are expected to gulp N3 trillion in 2024.
