Nigeria Yet To Achieve 4,000 MW — Minister

Finance Minister, Olusegun Aganga, says Nigeria has yet to generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity.

Aganga, who made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at a meeting of the Presidential Action Committee on Power, said the highest the country had achieved for several years was 3,800 megawatts.

He, however, said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Power were working hard to generate more megawatts in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s goal of increasing national power generation.

“The committee has recommended that we should be getting feedback from the distribution agency in order to have a direct feedback on our progress and the areas to focus on. “We want to get feedback and get it regularly,” the minister said.

On the expression of interest in the 11 transmission companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Aganga said the government expected certain criteria from the companies.

According to him, government is considering the financial strength of the companies and their technical competence.

“The technical competence will be important to us because we are looking for people who will drive this sector of the economy.

“We hope that power will become the next telecoms (success) in this country.

“It is important that the companies have the financial strength, commitment and technical expertise to deliver,’’ the minister said.