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Bayo Onanuga criticizes Peter Obi's 10,000MW power pledge, citing Nigeria's existing 13,500MW capacity
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has criticized Peter Obi's pledge to increase Nigeria's electricity generation by 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected president in 2027. Onanuga stated that Nigeria already possesses an installed generation capacity of approximately 13,500 megawatts, suggesting Obi's promise indicates a misunderstanding of the country's power infrastructure. He identified the primary challenges in the power sector as structural constraints, including insufficient gas supply, substantial legacy debts owed to gas suppliers amounting to over N4 trillion, and deficiencies in the national transmission network. Onanuga highlighted that many power plants are underutilized due to these issues. He also mentioned President Bola Tinubu's commitment to power sector reform, evidenced by the signing of the Electricity Act, which empowers states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity. Onanuga noted that some states are already leveraging this new framework, and he claimed an improvement in power generation under the current administration since May 2023. He further described the national grid as outdated and mentioned ongoing government reforms, including the proposed Grid Asset Management Company Limited, aimed at modernizing critical assets.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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