By Michael Eboh

THE successes recorded in Nigeria’s electricity reform process have been recognised by stakeholders in the African power sector, as the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, and other chief executives were listed among ‘ESI Most Influential Figures of African Power’, by ESI-Africa, a power journal.

Others are:  Chief Executive Officer,  Genesis Energy Global, Mr. Akinwole Omoboriowo  II; Managing Director, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Alhaji Idris Mohammad;  Chief Operating Officer, CO, North-South Power Company, owners of Shiroro hydroelectric generation plant, Mr. Daudu Abdul-Aziz; Managing Director of Aiteo Power, Dr. Ransome Owan;  and Head, Procurement and Power Contract in the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company, NBET, Mr. Yesufu Alonge.

According to a statement by ESI-Africa, these Nigerians have contributed immensely to ongoing developments in  Africa’s power sector. ESI noted that  these individuals, amongst others, have furthered the frontiers of continued efforts under what is considered to be the boldest privatisation initiatives in  Africa’s  power sector.

ESI-Africa said, “Through their various efforts  in government-led initiatives,  their multiple investments in various segments of the African Power sector,  forward-thinking policies and regulations as well as innovative technologies which they deploy, these individuals have kept the electricity industry in  North, South, East and West Africa running seamlessly.

The magazine explained that the individuals were selected from the pruning of nominations sent in by industry stakeholders, adding that it expected to see continued investments in clean sustainable electricity generation and distribution, as well as increase in independent power productions through the efforts of these individuals.

Continuing, the magazine said, “Nebo as Minister of Power has taken up from where his predecessor, Prof. Barth Nnaji left off, pulling through with the settlement of protracted labour issues to hand over privatised power assets to their owners, while Elumelu through Heirs Holdings has ensured a steady upgrade in the capacity of the Ughelli thermal power plant which it bought in the privatisation process.

“As for Omoboriowo II, Genesis Energy’s reported ability to provide  Fast-track electric power projects and  a broad spectrum of  multiple  energy solutionsin several countries in Africa  through long-standing strategic partnerships with key players like General Electric-USA (GE) and Engro Corporation  of Asia  has endeared it to the industry and thus earned it the recognition  continent-wide.

“Genesis Energy is noted to have partnered with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, GE and Engro Corporation to  deploy and commission a pioneering 84 megawatts (84  MW) gas-fired off-grid captive power project dedicated to meet the electricity needs of the Port Harcourt Refinery Complex, at tariff levels said to be the lowest for industrial customers in Nigeria.

“Genesis Energy  was also reported to have developed another long term strategic partnership with Cummins Co-Generation of the United Kingdom for the deployment of up to 1,000MW of distributed power projects to qualifying communities in Africa, particularly in Gabon, Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, Benin Republic and Ghana, and thus upgraded the value of foreign direct investments it has singularly  attracted into Africa to over $1 billion.”