The federal government has decried bottlenecks slowing the pace of growth in the power sector.
The Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Power, Temitope Fashedemi, identified some of these challenges as inadequate gas supply, transmission right-of-way issues and vandalism, and poor maintenance of the distribution system.
Read Also: NNPCL Signs MoU With Ghana, Gambia, Guinea Bissau Other Oil Firms
Fashedemi made this disclosure in Abuja at the 5th National Council on Power, which had the theme, ‘Sustaining and Improving Electricity Supply through the Power Sector Value Chain for Socio-economic Growth’.
She revealed that the Federal Government has mapped out 3.24 million buildings in 3,937 settlements currently connected to the country’s power grid.
Fashedemi, revealed this while outlining some of the recent milestones achieved by the ministry.
She said, “The ministry through collaboration under Nigerian Energy Support Program has achieved the following: mapped over 3,937 settlements, 3,244,605 buildings, and 60,183km of 11 and 33kV medium voltage line of the grid in 23 states.
“The data provides information for electrification planning, least cost of electrification, electricity access and decision making.”
“All these cause liquidity issues in the sector and subsequently lead to inadequate power to meet the needs of the people,” she stated.
Fashedemi added, “The council is expected to design an action log to track the implementation of the decisions and directives at the meeting and ensure policy initiatives that will make available, a sustainable power supply within the shortest possible time.”
On his part, the Managing Director, of Transmission Company of Nigeria, Sule Abdulaziz, said the TCN had awarded contracts for several new transmission lines.
Read Also: Tinubu Dances To Kizz Daniel’s ‘Buga’ After Chatham House Event (Video)
He said, “While some of the construction works are ongoing, others are at different stages of completion.
“These include the reconductoring of 16 transmission lines, and 17 others under the Service Level Agreement projects to further reinforce the grid for optimal evacuation and transmission of bulk electricity.”
