The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised the recent pledge by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, to increase Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected president in 2027.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Onanuga said Obi’s promise reflected a poor understanding of the country’s existing power infrastructure, noting that Nigeria already has an installed generation capacity of about 13,500 megawatts.
According to him, the major challenge facing the power sector is not generation capacity but structural constraints, including inadequate gas supply, legacy debts owed to gas suppliers and weaknesses in the national transmission network.
“What people don’t know, and which unfortunately Peter Obi did not know when he came and said he’s going to generate 10,000 megawatts, is that we already have in Nigeria installed capacity of 13,500 megawatts,” Onanuga said.
He explained that several power plants are unable to operate optimally due to gas supply challenges and outstanding debts running into trillions of naira.
“What are the problems? No gas. The players in the sector are owing the gas companies legacy debt of over N4tn, which has become the problem of this administration, and it is trying to clear it,” he added.
The presidential spokesman said President Bola Tinubu demonstrated commitment to reforming the power sector shortly after assuming office by signing the Electricity Act, which grants states greater powers to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.