Solving Nigeria’s Power and Energy Crisis is Not Rocket Science –  Peter Obi

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has shared concern over the prolonged power outages affecting large parts of Nigeria, particularly in Northern, Eastern, and South-South states.

For several days, many regions have faced a near-total blackout, creating a challenging means of living for individuals and businesses, tiny enterprises heavily reliant on public electricity for their operations.

Obi emphasised the devastating economic impact of the ongoing power crisis on local businesses, which he described as a “lethal recipe for widespread business failure and increasing poverty.”

In a post on X, Obi mentioned that this adds strain to the already high cost of petroleum products, combined with Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, and puts business owners who rely on power to sustain their operations on a choke-hold.

This power crisis, when combined with the present high cost of petroleum products and a harsh operating environment, remains a lethal recipe for widespread business failure and increasing poverty in the country, Obi said.

Drawing comparisons with other nations, Obi highlighted Egypt as an example of how aggressive investment in the power sector can yield sustainable results. He noted that Egypt’s concerted efforts in establishing power stations and sustainable power infrastructure have provided consistent electricity to millions of small businesses, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

According to Obi, Egypt’s success in power and energy management has been pivotal to its thriving business sector, accounting for over 90% of active enterprises and contributing more than 80% to the nation’s GDP.

Many of our comparable peer nations have demonstrated how possible it is to provide sustainable power for their citizens, Obi stated.

Our African neighbor, Egypt, for example, invested aggressively in their power sector, which resulted in the establishment of a sustainable power infrastructure by way of many power stations.

Obi stressed that resolving Nigeria’s power issues is within reach and not an impossible task. “Solving Nigeria’s power and energy crisis is not rocket science,” he reiterated.

In his statement, Obi expressed his empathy for Nigerians enduring the impact of the crisis, acknowledging the difficulties faced by those who depend on a stable power supply for their livelihoods.

He called on government officials to urgently address the nation’s energy problems to prevent further damage to the economy and the welfare of citizens.

Recall that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported a power outage affecting northeast, northwest, and north-central Nigeria. The outage occurred after the 330-kilovolt (kV) Ugwaji-Apir double circuit transmission lines tripped last Tuesday.

Also, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano state, has called for an alternative power source in Nigeria. In a post shared on his media page.

It is very disheartening that many parts of Northern Nigeria are in total darkness today due to vandalism on the important 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line that supplies the states of Kano and Kaduna and another line that supplies Bauchi, Gombe and other parts of the northeast.

This situation has been further compounded by the high cost of petrol and diesel in Nigeria, which has further plunged homes into darkness and forced factories to close down. It is about time that we look into alternative power sources to address our energy needs and we need to exploit the abundant resources available to this country, he stated.

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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