MAN seeks improved power supply

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called for a review of the Eligible Customers Regulations of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to improve electricity supply nationwide.

The call came at a meeting with other stakeholders at a special interactive session on the Eligible Customers Regulation.

The president of the association, Frank UdembaJacobs, noted government’s efforts aimed at addressing inadequate electricity supply through strategic initiatives such as Independent Power Producers (IPP), on and off grids, micro grids platforms and the approval of a N213bn facility to stabilize the electricity market. He said the interactive forum was borne out of the need to review the regulation.

The Ministry of Power, Works, Housing and Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) at another meeting on February 13 in Abuja affirmed that within the framework of the regulation, stranded 2,000MW was available for MAN members.

However, according to Udema, a cursory look at the regulation revealed the existence of some conditions hindering interested manufacturing concerns and other stakeholders from exploring the perceived benefits.

The chief technical and commercial officer of the North South Power Company Limited, Engr. Roland Lwiindi, noted that the primary objective of the eligible customer rule was to provide standard rules to facilitate competition in the supply of electricity through the rapid expansion of generating capacity, among others.

MAN in a recent report noted that manufacturers in Nigeria currently selfgenerate as much as 13,000 MW through alternative sources in order to stay afloat, spending over N129bn in 2016. It further noted that the cost of alternative electricity generation constituted about 40% of the production cost.

“With such high cost, made in Nigeria products will hardly be competitive,” the association said.