Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has highlighted Tanzania’s remarkable strides in the power sector, urging Nigeria to emulate its East African counterpart in achieving electricity accessibility and stability.
Drawing attention to recent developments, Obi underscored Tanzania’s decision to close five hydroelectric stations due to excess electricity in its national grid. This move, he noted, was a testament to Tanzania’s ability to power its major cities while extending electricity access to rural areas.
Citing data from the World Bank, Obi emphasised Tanzania’s significant progress, with electricity access soaring from a mere 7% in 2011 to nearly 40% in 2020. Notably, urban areas witnessed a staggering 73.2% access rate, while rural regions experienced a substantial increase to 24.5%.
In contrast, Obi lamented Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to provide electricity to its populace, with over 60% of its 200 million citizens still living without access, according to the 2022 Energy Progress Report.
Expressing concern over the economic issues of Nigeria’s electricity deficit, Obi stressed the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the sector. He pointed out that despite recent tariff hikes, the nation’s power infrastructure remained inadequate to support even a major city like Abuja.
”Considering the economic loss resulting from the lack of access to electricity in our nation, which remains immeasurable and with the recent electricity tariff increase, one would expect that we would be able, at least, to power one major city in each geo-political zone soon, and increase our overall access both in the urban and rural areas. The government must, therefore, sanitise and rescue the sector for the good of the nation,” Obi noted.
However, Obi remained optimistic about Nigeria’s potential, asserting that with competent and committed leadership, the country could surpass Tanzania’s power generation and distribution achievements. He called upon the government to prioritise the revitalisation of the power sector as a critical step towards building a prosperous “New Nigeria.”
“A stable power sector is very critical for the journey to a New Nigeria,” Obi noted.
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