FG Plans 24 Hour Electricity For Major Nigerian Cities

(Power Minister Joseph Tegbe. Photo Credit: Nigeria Stories)
The Federal Government has started talks with electricity distribution companies on plans to create special Energy Zones that could give homes, businesses and industries steady, round the clock power in major demand centres.

Power Minister Joseph Tegbe met behind closed doors with executives of selected distribution companies to discuss the idea.

It will cover the Lagos axis, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, and the Enugu and Port Harcourt corridors.

A statement from the minister's media aide, Adeola Adelabu, on Wednesday said the plan is meant to make sure power sent to the national grid reaches consumers more reliably, especially in areas with heavy commercial and industrial activity.

Tegbe said the problem is not only about generation and transmission but also about how much power is taken up and delivered at the distribution end.

He said the Energy Zones would help fix distribution problems, open up more demand from businesses and industries, and improve the revenue and collection of the distribution companies.

He also repeated the government's plan to expand power infrastructure in high demand areas, saying supply must grow along with the needs of the economy.

The government has not said when the zones will start, how much power they will produce or what infrastructure spending is needed for round the clock supply.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Sahara Energy Group.

The plan comes amid ongoing complaints about poor power supply and trouble delivering available electricity to consumers.