By Chidiebere Ugwu
All is set for the commencement of a three- day inaugural “Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Market Participants & Stakeholders Roundtable (NMPSR) event 2023 to kick off in the Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, the Organizing Committee has announced.
In a statement jointly signed by Prof. Steve Ogalji, Chairman, NMPSR Planning Committee, and Bode Fadipe ESQ, Secretary, NMPSR Planning Committee, the organizers said the event is designed to bring stakeholders together to assess the performance of the Nigerian electricity sector and its challenges, as a step towards charting a pathway for the progression of the power sector.
“Ten years after the privatisation of the Nigerian power sector, market participants, government agencies and institutions, as well as other key stakeholders will, on Monday, October 30th, gather at the PTDF auditorium in Abuja, the nation’s capital to assess the performance of the sector and its challenges, as a step towards charting a pathway for the progression of the power sector.
“Although opinions may be divided on the rationale for the ROUNDTABLE, industry watchers and other key stakeholders are of the view that the examination of the sector along the lines of defined parameters should be a welcomed development as it affords players the opportunity to clinically determine the issues in the sector and proffer solutions.
“Significantly, this 10 year milestone, post privatisation, in view of the continued challenges of the power sector, presents the perfect opportunity that is not so much a celebration but a sober reflection/retrospection and an audit of how far we have come, how much further we need to go, and what we require for the journey ahead” reads parts of the statement.
According to the Chairman of the Roundtable Planning committee, Prof Ogaji, “the 3 day Roundtable event will have eight plenary sessions which will encompass the various segments of the NESI viz: Power Generation: Gas to power: Power Distribution, Transmission, Metering and Customer Centricity, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Access to Finance, Liquidity and Recapitalization. The conference will also look at the regulatory and policy ecosystem, with a particular emphasis on the Electricity Act, 2023.
“As you are aware, the privatization of the NESI, which took place in 2013 marked a historic turning point in Nigeria’s energy sector, transitioning it from the era of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN} to a system of private investor ownership and participation.
“However, the progress in NESI, post privatization has not fully met the lofty expectations set forth in the National Electricity Power Policy, 2001 (NEPP), the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005 (EPSRA) now Electricity Act 2023, and the Road Map for Power Sector Reform, 2010.
“Consequently, while acknowledging the ten year post privatization milestone, under the umbrella of NMPSR, the operators and other stakeholders of NESI are also seeking to assess the evolution of the privatisation, assess the areas of constraint, and determine a roadmap that will provide the pathway fo the progress that is currently impeded by various factors. Hence the NMPSR is Themed: “NES! privatization & it’s 10 year milestone: The Journey So Far, Opportunities and Prospects.
“The roundtable is expected to provide a platform for leading energy professionals and other related experts io discuss and objectively determine a way forward for a privatized NESI, consistent with the aspirations and objectives of NEPP. Ultimately, designing a post privatisation roadmap that will be presented to decision/policy makers, as NESI market participants and stakeholders’ comprehensive contribution to power sector policy formulation and implementation. You are welcome to be part of this maiden innovative, explorative, and solution driven journey towards a sustainable energy future for our dear Country”
