FG Set To Increase Power Supply, Makes Plan To Generate 6000 Megawatts

Nigerians may soon begin to enjoy an improved power supply as the Federal Government announced a plan to increase electricity megawatts from 4000 to 6000 within the next three to six months.

Naija News reports that there have been groaning across states over incessant blackouts and poor power supply.

However, in a meeting held in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed that the incumbent government has embraced an initiative aimed at addressing the current power shortage and meeting the growing demand for electricity in the country.

The Minister discussed this development with the Heads of Power Agencies and various industry stakeholders, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving the overall power infrastructure.

Adelabu said: “4000 megawatts is not acceptable and we have plans to increase the megawatts to a minimum of 6000 to 6500 within the next three to six months.

”What we are looking at is to have an agreement to ramp up to a minimum of 6000 megawatts within the next three to six months.

”I know that the highest we ever generated was 5,700 megawatts about three years ago, specifically in November 2021.

”And these 5700 megawatts were also distributed. If we could achieve 5,700 at that time, I believe we still have the infrastructure to generate between 6,000 and 6,500.”

The Minister stated that he had personally visited several generation companies and verified their capability to produce 6000 megawatts of electricity.

Adelabu emphasized that a significant portion of this capacity is currently operational. However, due to insufficient or limited gas supply, these companies are unable to make their generated power readily available.

“Once there is gas supply, we want to ramp up generation to a minimum of 6,000 megawatts,’’ he said.

The minister mentioned that he was informed about a few enhancements in the industry, however, it will not be deemed satisfactory until a significant advancement is made in ensuring a consistent electricity supply.

“We need to do what we need to do to get the power sector to the desired level. Nigerians deserve the right to ask for good governance from people that are elected to power.

“They deserve the right to ask for improvement in service. People cannot be paying for darkness. What they should be paying for is light. And there should be consistent improvement in supply on a daily basis.

“So, I also want to use the opportunity to reassure Nigerians that what we are experiencing is temporary. We are addressing the root cause of all these issues,” the minister was quoted as saying by The PUNCH.

The minister emphasized that the Ministry of Power and its agencies are dedicated to swiftly reversing the current situation. He assured that efforts will continue until a stable power supply is attained, highlighting that the meeting was convened to tackle power sector challenges.

Adelabu reiterated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is fully devoted to resolving the underlying problems and ensuring a consistent electricity supply for consumers.

“This is the only way we can guarantee a good life for our people and increase industrialisation, employment, economic growth, and industrial development.

“It is true that the Electricity Distribution Companies are in the hands of private sectors. We do not have direct control but we need to compel them to perform.

“They must perform. If they do not perform, all our efforts in generation, transmission is zero. I had a meeting with the Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on how to address DisCos performance,’’ Adelabu stressed.