My people, make we yarn about Naija power matter wey dey hot like pepper soup…
Naija don pass new legislation wey be Electricity Act 2023, and this one no be small thing oh! E mean sey each state fit run dem own electrification like small government. Enugu, Ekiti, and Ondo don don jump join the train, create dem own regulatory bodies. Dem don see say if dem no act fast, na wah dem go dey face, like how we dey struggle with our current system.
This act dey give opportunity, but e still dey carry plenty wahala come too. States wey no sabi wetin dem dey do fit just scatter things anyhow. Dem suppose plan well to fit boost efficiency, reduce carbon wahala, and make sure electricity dey reach everybody – even those wey dey live for remote areas. If dem no fit manage this decentralisation well, na only small wins we go dey celebrate, while big issues dey continue reign.
One big plus of this new system na sey states fit attract private investments better. If dem plan am well, investors go dash their money. This go make electric bills drop, and we go fit enjoy better service, but only if dem put dem eye for ground and dey serious with procurement process.
And speaking of procurement, e good make we talk say transparency na key. The more open dem dey, the more competition go flourish and fees go reduce. If state electricity plans dey use local resources wey dey around, e fit help boost renewable energy and pump life into dem economy. E go still help Naija meet global climate change targets!
But abeg, make we no forget say wetin we dey talk no be small matter. E get plenty structures wey go need upgrade to manage this new plan. Naija get chronic issues wey don dey affect our electricity generation and distribution, like poor infrastructure and tariff wahala wey dey make sense vanish before our eyes.
See as e be for Karnataka and Gujarat for India. Dem dey shine bright na because dem get good plans dey guide dem into renewable generation. But for Naija, if we wan chop better fruit, we gatz coordinate our electricity markets for better alignment. Wetin e mean? E mean states go need clear frameworks for subnational planning. If dem no fit do am right, we fit just dey repeat the same mistakes, but on a smaller scale. Na wetin e go be, if we no wise up now!
As we dey push this new agenda, we need all hands on deck. Development partners, local authorities, and stakeholders must come together for this to work. Initiatives like Mission 300 dey try pull people together, provide support to states to ensure dem fit develop relevant plans dat go gel with national goals.
For those wey dey listen, remember sey good planning go help build adequate energy resources and support our climate goals. With the right action, state markets fit become the heartbeat of Naija industrialization and economic growth. But e no go happen by magic o; e go require focus, resources, and plenty collaboration.
No be only government fit manage this matter. Each state gatz wake up to dem responsibilities to build dem electricity markets from scratch. We dey call on every state to take am seriously, because wetin we dey face no be child’s play. We need to work together to push this new energy agenda forward, abeg.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
