The Federal Government has disclosed a plan to build power transmission lines in the West African region – supplying electricity to Senegal.
A recent report by Clean Tech Hub said that 55% (about 93 million) of Nigerians live in darkness. Now consumers are questioning the wisdom of this when electricity-supply problems plague Nigeria.
The plan was to supply Senegal with 330KV of electricity, Mohammed Gur Usman, MD of Transmission Company of Nigeria, said at a forum organised by Market Operator.
“Let me be precise. We are going to have a 330KV (supply) that will run from Shiroro to Parakou, Parakou to Northern Togo, Northern Ghana to Cote de Viore.
“Another one will come from Northern Ghana to Senegal to Guinea-Bissau, to Mali to Burkina Faso and it will join Ghana. This is the study that we have launched.”
Usman added that Nigeria had a comparative advantage across West Africa, which means there is a demand for electricity supply from Nigeria to the rest of West Africa.
But with the claim it can meet the electricity demands of other West African Nations, the hopes of Nigerian citizens of getting constant power supply remains an illusion.
Instead, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, has unveiled a plan to increase electricity tariff it hardly provided.
Reports say beginning from next year, power-consumers will have to pay an additional sum of between N8 and N14 for every kilowatt-hour of energy provided by their respective distribution companies.
But one will quick to ask if the unending crisis rocking the power sector in Nigeria will be addressed with a New Sheriff, Engr. Sale Mamman coming on board.