Nigeria Needs Total Digital Transformation Of Electricity Sector — Attueyi

A starring adept successful endeavor accusation exertion and transformation, JP Attueyi, has called for a broad integer overhaul of Nigeria’s energy assemblage to unlock economical maturation and efficiency.

Attueyi, who led the integer translation astatine Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), stated that Nigeria’s system could lone execute sustainable maturation if the powerfulness assemblage afloat adopted modern integer technologies to heighten efficiency, lawsuit satisfaction, and gross generation.

Speaking during a caller manufacture sheet session, Attueyi explained that Nigeria’s way to concern and economical translation depended connected however rapidly it could modernise its energy infrastructure done technology-driven solutions.

He said the World Bank’s integer system inaugural represented a “timely and strategical intervention” that could accelerate Africa’s competitiveness. Nigeria is positioned to pb owed to its youthful colonisation and expanding tech ecosystem.

“Nigeria indispensable accelerate advancement crossed 5 cardinal pillars of the integer system — integer infrastructure, integer platforms, integer fiscal services, integer entrepreneurship, and integer skills,” Attueyi said.

According to him, portion Nigeria has immense imaginable for development, its energy shortage remains a captious challenge. Over 85 cardinal Nigerians — representing astir 36 per cent of the colonisation — inactive deficiency entree to grid electricity, making Nigeria 1 of the countries with the astir important vigor entree gaps globally.

He emphasised that the increasing population, projected to transcend 377 cardinal by 2050, would proceed to unit energy demand, underscoring the urgency of modernisation and integer translation successful the sector.

Attueyi noted that the aboriginal of Nigeria’s system — anchored successful sectors specified arsenic technology, manufacturing, agritech, and information services — depends connected a unchangeable and reliable powerfulness supply. Despite having a smaller population, helium described the nation’s existent energy output of astir 4,500MW arsenic grossly inadequate compared to Egypt’s 38,000MW.

“Distribution companies indispensable go acold much businesslike to conscionable rising request and enactment emerging sectors. This is lone imaginable done modern, intelligent technologies,” helium said.

He added that Nigeria’s vigor reforms, including the N700 cardinal Presidential Metering Initiative and the World Bank-funded program to instal 4.3 cardinal meters by 2025, were important steps toward integer transformation, aiming to amended supply, billing accuracy, and lawsuit satisfaction.

Attueyi identified innovative grid improvement arsenic a captious adjacent measurement for Nigeria. According to him, this volition alteration businesslike powerfulness distribution, renewable vigor integration, and grid flexibility, empowering consumers done real-time vigor information and demand-response systems.

On Nigeria’s energy marketplace structure, Attueyi said the country’s 11 organisation companies (Discos), though unsocial successful Africa, presented some opportunities and challenges. While decentralisation allows for innovation and determination specialisation, it has besides created operational silos and inequitable work delivery.

“This is wherever exertion becomes essential. Smart grid systems and integrated commercialized absorption platforms tin bring ratio and coordination to a fragmented sector,” helium said.