Lack of investment, managerial capacity crippling Nigerian power sector – Former TCN MD

The former Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Dr Usman Mohammed, has identified a lack of investment and managerial capacity as problems crippling the Nigerian Power Sector.

Mohammed stated this on Wednesday.

According to him, based on the level of decay, the next President of Nigeria must personally champion the power sector reforms from day one to achieve progress.

He said most political parties need a more profound understanding of the problem facing Nigeria’s power industry.

Mohammed faulted the claim made by some political parties to increase Nigeria’s power capacity from 4,000 megawatts to 25,000 megawatts in four years, stating that it is not possible to achieve such a feat.

“Our biggest problem is that we don’t have a sense of history. We forget things quickly, and we change from one point to the other without reflecting on where we’ve made mistakes. We are not focusing on fixing the mistakes we’ve made. How did we create the problem in the power sector? It was created by creating a power industry that cannot attract investment. Apart from the interventions by the federal government, have there been any since the privatization of the sector?

“The conclusion is that most of the Political Parties didn’t do a deep analysis of why the nation struggles with 4,000mw capacity for years. And then they come up with a declaration of how to move from 4000mw to 25,000mw in Four years. The conclusion is that most political parties do not understand the power sector. And the fear is that vested interest would consume them if elected. Where do you see a country that has been able to move from 4,000 megawatts to 25,000 megawatts in four years? There is none. We must understand that the power industry is slow; it takes time for an investment to manifest. There is a need for Non-partisan consensus on how to improve the power sector because only one political party can’t solve the problem within the power sector in Four years.

“Based on the level of decay and vested interest in the power sector, it has to be championed by the President from day one.

“The President needs to understand that the power sector is not like other sectors; for electricity, if you temper with anything, it will not work. The President must believe that he is not looking for money in the power sector.

“Secondly, the President has to decide on what to do with the problem of the liquidity crisis created by the privatization of the Distribution sector. The problem is lack of investment and lack of managerial capacity”, he stated