By Isah Aliyu Chiroma
It is a complex fate to accept the situation in a country like Nigeria, where we are still battling with stable electricity. This has been the situation over the years and we are still looking for a way to tackle it. Electricity supply has remained a new, completely undefined controversial issue, not to talk about stable electricity.
We must have been perplexed as to what is going wrong with our power sector. Whether the power would be improved or not remains a mystery. What will happen to us in a time like this when the majority of the things we use are powered by electricity in some way? Then comes intense heat; those in the north west part of Nigeria, especially in Sokoto, and those living in the north east like Borno are more likely to understand the intensity. It has been a time of extortion, and it now appears that we might be without electricity longer than anticipated as the higher temperature makes it inevitable that people would need more electricity to withstand the searing heat. In Kebbi state, we have seen how the Nigerian army becomes enraged when there is no light in the barracks after returning from work and storms the energy distribution center to confront the employees.
People who rely on electricity to pump water for daily use are left stranded as a result of this situation, and the severity of the electricity problem is leaving us in an aimless state. What will happen in hospitals without lighting, a backup generator to conduct some lab work, or even patient comfort? This and other institution are facing a significant challenge, which put their work at stack.
Nigeria’s national electricity grid has collapsed numerous times throughout the years, causing blackouts across the entire country. People have been unable to carry out their regular routines, from work to domestic duties, as a result of the blackout. There are now financial and societal repercussions as a result. This has slowed down the country’s industrial development throughout time, which might be a significant source of income generation to the country and open up work prospects for young people.
Our distribution and transmission companies require a ton of work. Because load rejection is the main issue impeding the performance of electricity in Nigeria. This happens mostly when distribution companies reject the electricity sent by transmission providers. Defective power lines and the transmission and distribution network are to blame for this. This are thing that can be worked on and improved.
Over time, reform in the electricity sector has experienced setbacks. Due to the numerous worries it has generated over the condition of the disadvantaged sector, this setback has grown to be a significant obstacle and brought attention to the federal government’s reform approach. A long-term action plan is required to confront the electricity problem in Nigeria and put an end to the blackout. As we have seen in other developed countries, renewable energy has been the main source of power, which is used effectively to power industries, schools, work place, markets cities, towns and even house hold.
My organization had to turn off the electricity last year after being given a federal government project to construct a solar farm that would power the school. The project, which was started last year, has now been successfully finished. Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto, which is made up of office and classroom buildings as well as lab and research facilities, is powered by solar energy. This project can be expanded, and a location can be set aside for a development plan, which will argue against the information provided by the transition firms and construct a solar plant spanning states.
In order to tackle the lack of energy in Nigeria, we need to figure out how to produce more power that can be distributed. After the sector was privatized in November 2013, the generated power was made accessible on the national grid, which at the time had a capacity of 3,500MW to 2,834MW. Now, over an eight-year period, it averages between 4,000 and 4,500. There has been a difference in the number of units produced, but it is still insufficient. 2020 saw the world bank announce plans to invest $750 million in Nigeria’s power sector to increase supply reliability. Out of the $750 intervention money, just $94.6 million has sadly been spent thus far.
Nigeria has some of the most amazing ideas or blueprints on how to reform the power system, according to Ayodele Oni, an energy lawyer with Bloomfield Law Practice; the main issue is implementation. Why is it so difficult to put ideas into practice when it is human nature for concepts to be simple but execution to be difficult? We can do it if we are willing to put policies in place and make investments in the power sector. But if we continue to be unwilling or unable to improve the situation by taking appropriate action, we will continue to encounter the same issue and its profound answer.
If we choose not to proceed with making a choice despite the fact that there are alternative sources of generating power that we might investigate, it will be a smack in the face. From fossil fuels to renewable energy, we all rely on power to complete our tasks. Therefore, we must search for alternatives if we want to continue living without experiencing any aggravation. One of the sustainable and dependable alternatives that can help close the gap in our nation’s electricity generation is renewable energy.
It will become obvious that, if he is ready, man can alter everything. However, if he is not willing to act, he will be left not only in the current position but also at the beginning, where nothing existed and he must start over from scratch. I do not believe that we are incapable of doing it, but it is up to us to decide—and not just any decision, but a wise one. We can see glimpses of our towns gleaming beautifully without any noise or smoke, I must remark, through the windowpane.
That is our extraordinary dream for Nigeria, we will be released from that illusion when we wake up to see it happening.
