The Senate has strongly criticized Nigeria’s electricity operators, generating Companies (GenCos), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and Distribution Companies (DisCos) over their failure to improve power supply, accusing them of adding no value since the privatisation of the sector in 2013.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, speaking during plenary on Thursday, described the power sector’s privatisation as a “total failure” and hinted at possible legislative action to reverse the policy.
“Why do state governors and communities buy transformers, hand them over to DisCos, and still pay for installation? The people who took over the power sector are just making money without adding value at all,” Akpabio said.
He also questioned why the TCN struggles to transmit generated power and why DisCos have failed to invest in critical infrastructure, leaving Nigerians to shoulder the burden.
A report presented by the Senate’s Committee on Power, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, revealed that frequent grid collapses cost the nation approximately $25 million (N42 billion) per incident. The report blamed these failures on factors such as ageing infrastructure, abandoned projects, regulatory gaps, vandalism of power facilities, and poor financial accountability.
The Senate resolved to defer adopting the report and instead directed the committee to conduct a more comprehensive investigation into the sector, including the possibility of reversing privatisation and declaring a state of emergency in the power sector.
Former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, described the privatisation policy as exploitative, lamenting that Nigerians are forced to pay for services not rendered. He shared a personal experience of procuring a transformer for his property, only for it to become the property of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
“We must revisit this ill-advised privatisation and advise the President to review the power sector policy in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda,” Oshiomhole said.
Senator Abdul Ningi added that accountability was critical to solving the power sector’s challenges, emphasizing the need for sanctions against those responsible for its failures.
The Senate granted the committee an additional six weeks to conduct its investigation and present actionable recommendations, signaling a renewed commitment to addressing Nigeria’s persistent power supply issues.
