BUJA- The Solid Minerals sector in Nigeria is seen as one with huge potential in all ramifications, with President Muhammadu Buhari reiterating on the need to diversify the economy and revenue sources.

THE House of Representatives has tasked electricity distribution companies, Discos, to intensify efforts to collect debts being owed by government agencies and parastatals, instead of complaining about their inability to do so.

Former President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transportation Senior Staff Association, Capt. Thomas Kerewerigha, has blamed the rise in pipeline vandalism on the collapse of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has called on communities and states to take ownership of federal projects in their areas to prevent disputes or acts of sabotage that could be detrimental to the delivery of such projects.

Following the removal of subsidy on household kerosene, there are growing fears that marketers will sell the scarce as high as N250 per litre in some locations in the country, even as government suggested open market price of N83/L.

Petroleum industry operators have called on President Muhammdu Buhari, to urgently stimulate exploration and production activities in the country in order to place Nigeria on a competitive reserves and production status with its peers in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

Continuing, he said: “Growth will rebound after a disappointing 2015 to almost five per cent in 2016 as tight fuel supplies and power outages abate and a more accommodative monetary and fiscal stance takes hold. A crackdown on corruption should also help to increase FDI inflows, supported by improved security and better governance

February 1, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC,approved the takeoff of new electricity structure under the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO 2015. Prior to the takeoff, there were scepticisms about whether the new rates will come to be or not given the public outcry and resistance even from the legislators.

When will Nigerians say goodbye to the ever present power outage that has stunted the economic development of Africa’s biggest economy?

Audrey Joe-Ezigbo is the Co-Founder and Executive Director, Commercial Operations of Falcon Corporation Limited and a member of the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Gas Association.