Nigerians should expect “significant improvement in electricity service supply reliability and delivery” this year, President Muhammadu Buhari has promised.

This is part of the radical changes that the Federal Government plans for this year in the oil and gas as well as power sectors.

To achieve this objective, the President said there will be further liberation of the sectors to eliminate lingering outages and gas shortages.

Power sector inadequacy has been a major drawback on the country’s economy over the years, with the problem becoming almost intractable.

Speaking to Nigerians in a message, titled: “A letter from the President at New Year Nigeria’s Decade”, Buhari raised the hope of ensuring fiscal sustainability in the power sector, increased government and private sector investment in power transmission and distribution.

He promised improved payment transparency through deployment of smart meters and effective regulatory actions to maximise service delivery.

He said:  “Power has been a problem for a generation. We know we need to pick up the pace of progress. We have solutions to help separate parts of the value chain to work better together.

”In the past few months, we have engaged extensively with stakeholders to develop a series of comprehensive solutions to improve the reliability and availability of electricity across the country.

”We have in place a new deal with Siemens, supported by the German Government after German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited us in Abuja, to invest in new capacity for generation, transmission and distribution.

“These projects will be under close scrutiny and transparency – there will be no more extravagant claims that end only in waste, theft and mismanagement.

”The next 12 months will witness the gradual implementation of these actions, after which Nigerians can expect to see significant improvement in electricity service supply reliability and delivery.”

According to a data obtained from System Operation (SO) website, a semi-autonomous arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), power transmission on December 31, 2019 was 4,485.6 megawatts (mw) at peak generation and 3,258mw at lowest generation as against national peak demand of 25,790mw.

The TCN is responsible for operating the transmission system in a safe and reliable manner and its network spreads to all parts of the country and across the border to several neighbouring countries, making Nigeria a net exporter of power.

Though the installed generation is 12, 910.40mw, the generation capacity has remained at 7652.6mw.

The transmission wheeling capacity is 8,100mw.

The peak generation ever attained is 5,375mw.

The President said he was determined to see  the  oil and gas sector becoming  a more competitive, attractive and profitable industry, operating on commercial principles and free from political interference.

Oil and Gas

He said: “Just last week, we were able to approve a fair framework for the $10 billion   expansion of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, which will increase exports by 35 per cent, restore our position as a world leader in the sector and create thousands of jobs.

“The Amendment to  the Deep Offshore Act in October signaled our intention to create a modern and forward-looking industry in Nigeria.

“Separately, we have plans to increase domestic gas consumption. In the first quarter of 2020, we will commence work on the AKK gas pipeline, OB3 Gas pipeline and the expansion of the Escravos – Lagos Pipeline.’’

The President also  assured that the Federal Government would  not only complete 47 ongoing road projects, including those leading to the nation’s ports this year, it would fast tract work on major bridges like the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha/Asaba.

New Airports/rail

He added that  the new terminals of Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri and Enugu international airports    would  be inaugurated before year end while the Lagos–Ibadan and Itakpe–Warri rail lines would be  inaugurated  on or before April.

Work on the  Ibadan–Abuja and Kano–Kaduna rail lines, according to him,  is expected to commence  before March.

He said 13 housing estates under the National Housing Project Plan would be completed this year.

The president said an agricultural rural mechanisation scheme that would cover 700 local government areas  over a period of three years would   be inaugurated this year.

Buhari said his administration would launch the “Livestock Development Project Grazing Model in Gombe State on 200,000 hectares of land.”

He explained that work was progressing on the  Lagos – Ibadan Expressway,   the Abuja – Kano highway  and the Lagos to Kano Rail line.

He spoke of ”using alternative funding programmes in collaboration with private sector partners to fix strategic roads such as the Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway.”

Security

On security, the President said: “As Commander-in-Chief, my primary concern is the security of the nation and the safety of our citizens.

“Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for. We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cult groups  and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy.

“But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets.’’

The President also said his administration intended  to continue rendering services and other democracy dividends, saying   his earlier promises, including lifting 100 millions   Nigerians out of poverty were still intact.

Poverty fight

His words: “During my Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2019, I promised to lay the enduring foundations for taking  100 million  Nigerians out of mass poverty over the next 10 years.

“Today, I restate that commitment. We shall continue reforms in education, health care and water sanitation.

“I have met international partners such as GAVI, the vaccine alliance, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation who support our social welfare programmes.

“I will continue to work with state and LGAs to make sure that these partnerships deliver as they should.

”Workers will have a living wage and pensioners will be looked after. We are steadily clearing pensions and benefits arrears neglected for so long.

”The new Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will consolidate and build on the social intervention schemes and will enhance the checks and balances necessary for this set of programmes to succeed for the long term.”

National Assembly

Commending the new positive energy existing between the Executive and Legislative arms of government, the President said the process of evolution of the desired Nigeria had begun with the speedy passage and signing of the 2020 budget.

The President lashed the Eighth National Assembly but praised the Ninth Assembly who worked uncommonly long hours to make sure that the 2020 budget scrutiny is both thorough and timely.

”The close harmony between the Executive and Legislature is a sharp contrast to what we have experienced in the recent past, when the Senate kept the previous budget for seven months without good reason just to score cheap political points thereby disrupting the budgetary processes and overall economic development plans.”

Buhari also   reiterated his intention not to contest the 2023 presidential elections  and his  determination  to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Transparent Elections

He said: “Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. I salute the commitment of the millions who voted in peace last February and of those leaders who contested for office vigorously but fairly, submitting to the authority of the electorate, the Independent National Electoral Commission and judicial process.

”I understand very well the frustrations our system has in the past triggered. I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections.

”But I am determined to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across the region, where several ECOWAS members go to the polls this year.’’

Rule of law

Buhari said his administration’s actions would be governed by the rule of law as well as engagement with well-meaning leaders and citizens to promote dialogue, partnership and understanding.

The President  also noted that the nation’s revolution in agriculture had become a reality in all corners of the country.

He  expressed the hope that  new agreements with Morocco, Russia and others would help access on attractive terms the inputs the country needed to accelerate the transformation in farming.

Buhari said: “The joint land border security exercise currently taking place is meant to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and security. No one can doubt that we have been good neighbours and good citizens.

”We have been the helpers and shock-absorbers of the sub-region but we cannot allow our well-planned economic regeneration to be sabotaged.

”As soon as we are satisfied that the safeguards are adequate, normal cross-border movements will be resumed.’’