By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Nigeria Youth Forum (NYF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revoke the licences of underperforming electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and invite credible investors with the technical and financial capacity to address challenges in the country’s power sector.

This demand comes amid ongoing public concerns over inefficiencies in Nigeria’s electricity supply and the performance of the privatization model introduced in 2013.

In a statement signed by Comrade Toriah Olajide Filani, National President of the NYF, the group expressed concerns over the sector’s output, noting that Nigeria’s total electricity supply to over 200 million people is significantly lower than the power allocated to a single international airport in Europe.

Filani stated, “Compare the Amsterdam International Airport with Nigeria as a whole. The power available at that airport alone surpasses Nigeria’s entire national grid output. This highlights the need for improved infrastructure and planning.”

The Forum pointed out that while Nigeria generates about 7,000 megawatts of electricity, only 5,000 megawatts can be distributed due to outdated infrastructure and limited investment by DisCos in essential materials.

This bottleneck, they noted, continues to hinder the nation’s power delivery system and economic growth.

To address the crisis, the NYF recommended the implementation of a performance-based regulatory framework by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to ensure DisCos meet clear benchmarks in customer service, infrastructure investment, and energy distribution efficiency.

They also proposed the creation of a DisCo Recovery Task Force to audit past investments and operational records, identify underperforming operators, and facilitate the entry of new players with stronger technical and financial capacity.

Additionally, the Forum urged the federal government to empower state governments to drive subnational electricity markets by establishing a Subnational Power Autonomy Acceleration Fund. This, they said, would enable states to develop localized power solutions under the legal framework of the new Electricity Act.

The NYF also advocated for the promotion of alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and waste-to-energy systems. They called on the government to introduce tax incentives, import waivers, and funding support for renewable energy projects, particularly in underserved communities.

The group highlighted concerns over transparency in billing systems and the reliance on estimated billing, recommending the mandatory use of prepaid metering across all customer classes. They also proposed the development of a digital platform, an Electricity Watchdog app, to enable citizens to report outages and billing issues.

Filani emphasized the importance of linking electricity planning with industrial and economic hubs.

“By ensuring reliable power supply to manufacturing and agro-processing zones, the government can support job creation and inclusive growth,” he said.

The NYF’s position aligns with recent remarks by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who raised concerns about the performance of the power sector since its privatization.

President Tinubu has acknowledged that the privatization of the power sector has not met its intended goals, with over 90 million Nigerians still without access to electricity. To address these challenges, the president announced a $122.2 billion investment blueprint under the National Integrated Electricity Policy (NIEP), aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure by 2045.

The NYF, however, stressed that new policies must be accompanied by structural and operational reforms to achieve meaningful results.

“Privatization must be accompanied by accountability. The presidency should enforce existing laws, promote transparency, and embrace innovation to ensure the power sector delivers on its potential. It is time to revoke the licences of non-performing DisCos and bring in competent investors who can truly light up the nation,” Filani stated.