There are indications that the Federal Government might stop subsidising power consumption in the country soon.
The government had hinted that the power sector is bedeviled by challenges that require huge financial investments to be squarely addressed.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, disclosed this during an interactive session with civil society organisations at a power summit in Abuja.
He said: “We’ve had problems with regards to tariffs. Some of us, including myself, are being subsidised, and that ought not to be. The government is doing a lot in order to improve the power sector and I think it is time for the civil society to let the public know what we are doing.
“Civic engagements like this provide an opportunity for Nigerians to actively take ownership of the reforms, whilst helping to promote the attitudinal changes necessary for reflective power supply, usage and consumption.”
On the power sector reforms, Nebo revealed that it was to ensure sustainable energy delivery to Nigerians through increase in power generation, transmission and distribution, and effective management of public and private power institutions.
The minister stated that with the successful sale of the governmentowned distribution and generation companies, the ministry was getting to the tail end of the power reform process.
He lamented that some Nigerians continue to live in off-grid rural areas with no power access, and in some cases, unstable power.
Nebo said the privatisation process had been globally adjudged as the largest, most successful and transparent privatisation of public utilities in modern history.
According to him, there is therefore need to ensure good governance and commitment to transparency and accountability by the new owners of the power firms.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Godknows Igali, appreciated the efforts of civil society organisations in driving the power sector reform process.
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