Abuja, Nigeria – Di Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) don come out with beta gist about di wahala wey dey happen for power sector. Dem don urge all di operators to sabi balance their electricity tariff, make e no make people wahala too much.
Di Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NISO, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, na im drop this important talk during di 5th Edition of di Annual Conference of di Power Correspondents Association of Nigeria (PCAN) wey happen for Abuja on Thursday. Di conference theme be ‘Cost Reflective Tariff vs. Energy Poverty: Finding a Pricing Balance in di Nigerian Power Sector’. Mohammed talk say na dis tariff matter dey ground for di many issues wey dey plague Nigeria electricity.
According to am, plenty Nigerians no fit afford stable light due to di rising inflation, unemployment, and di slumping purchasing power (Things don dey hard be that!). He go on explain say di matter wey dey hang na how to set tariff wey go reflect di cost of supply while still making sure say e no scatter di whole economy.
“Di real question no be whether we go get cost-reflective tariffs, but how we fit achieve am without turning our people to beggars,” he said (and everybody for di room just dey nod their heads in agreement). He also vex say di electricity subsidy wey dey Nigeria don turn to heavy debt wey dey hold di sector back.
Mohammed emphasize say make tariff adjustments dey gradual, tied to clear service improvement instead of wahala from sudden increase (nobody wan wake up one morning see say their bills don jump like say dem wan fly!). Di gist wey im drop down dey interesting: consumers go fit pay well if dem see reliability and fairness in di system.
As states dey try set their own electricity markets under di new Electricity Act, e talk say decentralised generation systems go need to integrate well with di national grid. Make dem not forget say policy alignment dey important, plus adjustment wey go enter di gas price and efforts to engage di public to explain di changes wey dey come.
PCAN Chairman, Obas Esiedesa, come add him own voice sha; he talk say na time for dem to reconcile di financial wahala for di power sector and di reality wey di common man dey face. He remind everybody say over ten years after di privatisation, di sector still dey struggle carry heavy financial loads.
“About 85 million Nigerians—roughly 43 percent of our population—still dey lack access to grid electricity. Na huge problem wey no go fit allow us grow,” he tok (wow, wey dem go see light?). Esiedesa also mention say di people wey connect to di grid still dey pay high bills and dey suffer poor supply, which dey bring plenty frustration.
“Di question no be if we need cost-reflective tariffs—we sabi say we need am. Di main question be how to find pricing wey go balance economic survival and public welfare.” Di power matter for Nigeria don reach critical junction—will we choose cost recovery or social justice? (Make we no go dey at crossroad o).
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