By Ediri Ejoh

THE remittances of 11 electricity distribution companies, DISCOs, to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET) has  declined  by over  4.6  per cent to N146.5  billion  in four months ending April 2022, from N153.2  billion in the corresponding period  of 2021.

According to the latest monthly report of the NBET, the DISCOs were issued an invoice of N266.9billion  between January and April  2022, but could raise  only N146.5billion, about 44.9  per cent.

Ikeja Electric recorded the highest remittance to the tune of N7.867  billion in 2022 and N7.619  billion in 2021, as Yola DISCO recorded the lowest remittance of N267  million during the period.

The N266.9 billion NBET invoice represents the value of electricity supplied to Nigerian consumers within the period, while N146.5billion represents the payments collected by DISCOs from electricity consumers.

Commenting on the data, Mr. Adetayo Adegbemle, Convener and Executive Director, PowerUp Nigeria, an Electricity Consumer Right and Power Sector Policy Advocacy organization, lamented that the high collection figures did not impact on the quality of service being delivered to consumers.

He said:  “The power sector has defied almost every intervention from every angle. It is apparent that without a stable grid electricity, industries will continue to die, jobs also die with it.

“Nigeria remains a consuming economy, as local manufacturers cannot compete, as cost of energy alone will make their final prices impracticable.  The economy will therefore continue to bleed, meanwhile we are not even taking into cognizance our population that keeps increasing.

“Like the maxim goes, an energy poor nation is a poor nation.”

Speaking also,  Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, Dr. Muda Yusuf, called for a short and long term framework to address issues in the country’s power sector.

He said: “We need a government intervention on a long and short term. For the short term, what is needed to be addressed should range from insecurities, inadequate supply of gas etc.

“In the long term, the issue of power sector reform decentralization of the power supply and less reliance on the national grid. This is to enable less pressure on the grid so these collapses would not be pronounced. Nigeria is too big for the kind of centralized power we are operating currently.”