Power supply has remained a serious issue in Nigeria, although there is a record of a place with constant power supply, most areas lack stable power supply. Some of the areas with constant supply are the “band A" customers. These areas are mostly areas with Government Institutions and residences, areas with new or better-maintained power infrastructures, and areas with high economic activities.
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There is a serious challenge of power supply by the generation plants causing shortages in the distribution of power, which results in prioritizing some areas on the cost of another area.
Recently, I was informed by a friend of mine about the challenges they face in their area, which is located along the airport road in the capital city of Abuja. In this community, power is being rationed on a ratio of 2:1 days, meaning two (2) days of power supply and a day of power outage, this is a result of the lack of a sufficient step-down transformer that should be enough to serve the community, which brings about the rationing of power in the community to reduce the workload of the step-down transformer. This solution is not effective since in recent times, the step-down transformer became faulty due to overload.
In the area I reside (Karu) which is 15km away from the city center of Abuja. There is no constant power supply, although the power supply is not rationed, and we sometimes enjoy a 10 to 15-hour supply of power. Places like Wuse, Maitama, Central Business District and Asokoro tend to have a better supply of power since they are government and commercial areas.
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The issues with power supply in Nigeria are mostly; As a result of outdated technology, other issues include vandalism, gas supply issues since most of the GENCOS uses natural gas in generating power, inadequate investment in the power industry and some cases of corruption.
To tackle the issue of power supply shortages, the government should:
- invest in updated infrastructures, and the issues of wastage in the parts of GENCOS and the TCN will be eliminated. Power transmitted through the transmission lines is usually reported missing on the way to the TCN from the GENCOS, which is a result of outdated infrastructure.
- The government should also encourage the use of alternative power sources by subsidizing the cost of installment or encouraging local production of such infrastructures.
- Communities can use a certain amount of money to maintain infrastructures or provide new and better infrastructures when damages occur.
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The Electricity industry in Nigeria is divided into the Generating companies known as the GENCOS, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the distribution companies of Nigeria (DESCOS) which are both privately and publicly owned companies, having the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Company (NERC) to regulate their activities in the industry. The combined efforts of these companies are responsible for the generation and supply of power in Nigeria.
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Solar energy
Solar energy has also been employed by many to serve as their primary source of power supply, though expensive to install, it is usually cheaper than the traditional power supply and the use of the diesel/fueling generator set. For me, it remains the best source of power supply.
Although some individuals, companies and institutions have taken it upon themselves to provide a backup source of Renewable energy (harnessing solar energy), and a diesel/fuel generator set to compensate for the hours of a power outage, there is no area I have witnessed with a 24/7 power supply.
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