‘Corruption, outdated grid’ — PRP’s Abdullah Wakili speaks on factors hindering Nigeria’s power supply

• Last week, Wakili has expressed deep outrage and disappointment over the recent week-long electricity blackout in Northern Nigeria.

Abdullahi Ahmed Wakili has said that Nigeria’s electricity crisis stems from “rampant corruption, an outdated national grid design, and obsolete power infrastructure.”

This is contained in a statement issued by Wakil, the Kaduna north senatorial candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the 2023 elections, on Monday.

Wakili said that the country’s electricity supply crisis has plagued the nation for decades, despite investing billions of dollars into the sector.

The ex-senatorial proposed declaring a State of Emergency on the power crisis to demonstrate the government’s commitment to resolving the issue.

He stressed that stable electricity remains a distant dream, even in urban areas.

“Nigeria can produce around 13 GW of electricity but only delivers about 4 GW to the grid due to constraints, forcing most of the population to rely on home generators for power supply,” Wakili said.

Wakili also advocated for implementing an Alternative National Supply Grid to replace the outdated 20th-century design.

“Investing heavily in the decentralization of power supply, encouraging community-based modular power generating stations, supporting medium and large-scale companies in achieving daily power needs, and exploring Nigeria’s renewable energy potential – aiming for up to 71,000 MW of solar energy,” he said.

“Experts agree that leadership plays a key role in instilling confidence in the sector and setting policies that show direction for the industry, which would pave the way for investments.

“Nigeria needs to develop its economy in a climate-friendly manner, and sustainable electricity is fundamental to reaching the country’s development goals.”

Wakili highlighted the detrimental effects of the power crisis on private sector operators, citing the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s reported annual loss of N10.1 trillion due to power shortages.

He urged the government to expedite efforts and consider financial interventions and tax waivers to prevent a private sector collapse.