…Over 2.8m customers metered under presidential metering initiative – Tegbe
As Nigeria races to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the federal government has announced that the power sector has gulped over N10 trillion in interventions since its 2013 privatisation to prevent total market collapse, even as persistent grid constraints continue to weigh on industrial productivity.
Kenny Anuwe, MD/CEO of FGN Power Company Limited, stated this at the 6th annual conference of the Power Correspondents Association of Nigeria (PCAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Noting the necessity of the federal government’s intervention, Anuwe said that despite the significant funding, it is frustrating that the country is yet to achieve its goals in electricity supply.
“But is it enough? How much money is enough? No matter how you look at it, no matter how critical you are about what government’s role is, if government did not put that money in, the industry would not be standing,” he said.
He added that the agency operates under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) and plays a coordinating and implementation role to structure commercial deals, secure financing, and deliver incremental power.
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Siemens partnership and project pipeline
Anuwe explained that the agency has delivered incremental power while working with technical partners.
“Originally, when we started the PPI, we were working primarily with Siemens Energy, but Siemens Energy changed its own operating model. That operating model meant that they could not do what we call turnkey for the distribution and the transmission lines aspect. They’ve been able to do that for transmission substations, and we’re continuing to work with them in that particular area,” he said.
He explained that the pilot phase of the Siemens programme has been completed, while phase one of the transmission substations and transmission lines project is going according to plan.
“We’ve experienced some delays, but we are marking the completion of the majority of those projects in Q1 2027. In terms of our project pipeline, we have batch two of the Siemens substations that will be implemented as soon as we get all of the necessary financing approvals, which again, we’re targeting Q4 2026. So we believe in a matter of weeks, we should start the Siemens batch two project, which comprises 12 substations, and then the special projects for Omotosho substations, all of which will cumulatively deliver 3,400 megawatts,” Anuwe said.
Metering initiatives and infrastructural renewal
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe stated that since the inception of the Tinubu administration, over 2.8 million customers have been metered under the Presidential Metering Initiative to bridge collection losses in the power sector.
Tegbe, who was represented by Martins Olajide, Special Adviser, Administration and Project, Federal Ministry of Power, said that over the past three and a half years, President Bola Tinubu has tackled longstanding financial and infrastructure constraints in the sector.
“He approved a N3.3 trillion plan to settle verified legacy debts owed to generating companies. We have raised N1.23 trillion under that plan, easing the pressure on generators and improving their ability to pay for gas and maintain their plants.
“During the same period, over 2.8 million customers have been metered under the Presidential Metering Initiative to bridge collection losses,” Tegbe said.
He noted that the Rural Electrification Agency has also connected universities, hospitals, and rural communities to solar power, alongside the construction of a new ultramodern National Grid Control Centre in Osogbo to replace the 60-year-old facility.
Industrial growth and anti-vandalism campaigns
Tegbe emphasised that reliable electricity remains a core multiplier for enterprise development.
“Every serious conversation about Nigeria’s industrial future eventually arrives at the question of power. Not because electricity is the only constraint on enterprise, but because it multiplies the effect of almost every other constraint.
“Reliable and affordable electricity allows businesses to produce more and gives them the confidence to invest,” he said.
He noted that President Tinubu has set a clear economic direction to build a more productive, resilient, and investment-led $1 trillion Nigerian economy.
“That ambition cannot rest on consumption alone. It must rest on production. And production, at scale, must rest on reliable, affordable, and commercially sustainable electricity,” the minister said.
The minister also decried the prevalence of vandalism, which remains a serious threat to power infrastructure. He stated that Tinubu has approved a coordinated anti-vandalism campaign involving relevant security agencies, backed by a strengthened legal framework to protect power assets and hold offenders accountable.
Addressing seasonal generation declines
In his address, PCAN Chairman Obas Esiedesa highlighted that a critical issue requiring urgent attention is the recurring seasonal decline in electricity generation between November and March.
During this period, reduced water inflows into hydroelectric power stations affect generation, while gas supply constraints to thermal power plants compound the problem.
“This recurring challenge has continued to undermine efforts to achieve stable electricity supply. It is therefore important for the government, regulators, electricity generation companies, and gas suppliers to strengthen collaboration and develop sustainable arrangements that will guarantee adequate gas feedstock for thermal power plants, especially during periods of reduced hydropower generation.
“We must also address the larger issues of inadequate transmission and distribution infrastructure, liquidity challenges, investment gaps, regulatory uncertainties, and the need for improved efficiency across the electricity value chain,” Esiedesa said.
He added that the decentralisation of the electricity market under the Electricity Act 2023 presents opportunities for increased investment, innovation, and improved service delivery, provided it is matched with effective coordination and clear regulatory frameworks.
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