By Obas Esiedesa

THE Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu yesterday assured stakeholders that the President Bola Tinubu administration has the political will and determination to resolve power supply challenges facing the country.

With 90 million Nigerians said to be without access to electricity supply, Chief Adelabu said the government would explore all avenues to improve electricity supply including the use of solar, wind and small hydros to provide off-grid supplies.

The Minister spoke in Abuja at the 3rd Roundtable for Legislatures, Judiciary and Stakeholders on the Enforcement of Technical Standards and Regulations in the Multi-tier Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry organised by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA.

He noted that the devolution of powers to the states to enact their own electricity laws marked a watershed moment for the sector in the country, adding that after years of expanding generation capacity without significant improvement in power supply, the government was shifting focus to the customers and distribution network.

He said: “As you are all aware, one of the major fallouts of the amendment to the Fifth Alteration and the enactment of the Electricity Act 2023 is the ‘Devolution of Powers, to the sub-nationals (States), to enact their own Electricity Laws across the value chain of generation, transmission, distribution, trading, and regulation within the confines of States.

“This has been heralded as a game-changer. Conversely, however, it means that all hands must be on deck, for it is one thing to create the enabling environment and another for the desired change for a better outcome”.

While commending NEMSA for its role in ensuring technical standards in the sector, he pointed out the decentralisation of power in the sector, means more was required of the Agency in terms of monitoring and certification.

Earlier, the Managing Director/CEO, NEMSA, Engr. Tukur Tahir Aliyu noted that the enforcement of technical standards and regulations “is a very critical aspect in managing the growth of the electricity industry in any nation as it helps to ensure that all electrical installations deployed in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) meet the required technical standards, regulations and specifications to ensure that such systems are capable of delivering safe, reliable and sustainable electricity supply as well as guarantee safety of lives and property”.

Engr. Aliyu explained the roundtable was aimed at bridging the knowledge gap in relation to NEMSA’s enforcement role in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

“It is also an avenue to sensitize the Legislators, and Judicial Officers on the legal framework for the enforcement of Technical Standards and regulations in NESI and Allied Industries”, he added.

On his part, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Eyinaya Abaribe called for collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders to tackle power supply challenges facing the country.