Who really is to be blamed for Nigeria’s power crisis?

While they have had their businesses and other private activities greatly impeded by a somewhat depleting power situation across the country, many have blamed the flaw on Nigeria’s energy distribution companies.

The DISCOs have been considered ineffective in making the necessary investments in the ailing Nigerian power sector to enhance capacity utilization.

Speaking on the issue recently, Dr. Joy OGAJI, CEO of ATC said, “There has been blame trading in the power sector. Transmission blames the DISCOs for not accepting load due to their inability to pay for the power received. On the Other hand, the DISCOs are going about blaming the GENCOs for not generating enough”.

She further commented on what this 'blame game' could mean for the country by saying that: “The impact of power being rejected or not wheeled by transmission and DISCOs is so devastating on the GENCOs both in terms of its mechanical and commercial impacts”.

Since its privatization in 2013, GENCOs have invested a considerably much capital which have helped boost the significant the power grid supply from 2,800MegaWatts from the 2,000MW it met and has over the last 3 years achieved the new peak in electricity generation of 5074.7 MW recorded on February 3rd last year. A claim an average Nigerian would readily dismiss as being merely on paper.

But one can hardly just leave it with these DISCOS and GENCOS: the increased rate of pipeline vandalism and insecurity around gas production and transportation facilities is a testimony to the fact that the activities of few Nigerian citizens who engaged in these destructive practices have diminished the supply of gas to generation plants and in effect, reduced the nation’s power generation capacity.

But here is the crux of these whole thing: if Nigeria is going to solve this embarrassing and long-lingering power crisis (one that has made it unfavourably disposed before potential foreign investors), then it must be a truly national effort – one that encompasses leadership, the private institutions in the industry including DISCOs and GENCOs as well as a security and accountability conscious citizenry. May be this is where we need more President Buhari corruption-driving machinery!