UK Envoy Urges Nigeria To Resolve Power Issues To ‘Fulfill Its Potential For The Future’

British High Commissioner to Nigeria Richard Montgomery has urged the African country to resolve its power issues to "fulfill its potential for the future."

During the first session of a two-day roundtable on the Electricity Act 2023 held in Abuja on Wednesday — with the theme "Implications and Opportunities for State Electricity Markets" — Montgomery explained that the new government needs to work on important microeconomic reforms.

"We have a new government here, it has embarked on important microeconomic reforms. The exchange rates and fuel subsidy are bringing short-term pain to the country and the people," he said, Punch reported. "But there are positive changes in the medium and long term that will help Nigeria fulfill its potential for the future."

He then noted that one of the most important sectors at the moment is the power sector.

Montgomery went on to share that unfortunately, the country has the world's largest electricity deficit, affecting 90 million people. According to him, even Nigerians who are connected to the grid often face blackouts and are therefore unable to get a reliable power supply.

"This is the time to explore new opportunities to scale up electricity to deliver it to more Nigerians," he said.

Meanwhile, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara State revealed in his remarks that Nigeria "believes in partnership and getting divergent views on how to achieve the same goal." He said this is why the "roundtable is so important and we look forward to reboots engagement in this important event."

The governor also acknowledged that during such events, more questions will be asked of the government than answers suggested. However, he is hoping that this engagement will bring answers as "moving into a new area, which challenges will be enormous and how to address them."

Asishana Okauru, director-general of the forum, also chimed in on the discussion, saying, "We are often told that the amendment of the Constitution and the signing of the Electricity Act 2023 opens the sub-national electricity market."

He admitted that although this act may make perfect sense to stakeholders and players in the industry, it can be difficult for a layman to understand. Hence, the director-general believes that it's the forum's job to "facilitate the simplifying of this very complex and highly technical endeavor in a way that both the government and the governed will fully appreciate what is happening, how it should happen and the benefits of it all."

Okauru also disclosed that the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) will unveil a flagship project — the Nigeria Sub-National Electricity Markets Support Program (NSEMSP) — which will be designed to develop sustainable, competitive and diversified sub-national electricity markets in Nigeria.