Despite the challenges, Nigeria has major growth plans for its power sector.

The Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme is intended to
allow 11,000 MW be distributed by 2023. The country has signed an
agreement with Siemens on improving transmission.

Buhari expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the
distribution companies, the so-called discos.

Power prices increased on September 1. The move had first been planned
for July 1 but this was pushed back.

The president said this was only where companies can guarantee
customers receive more than 12 hours of electricity per day. Customers
who receive more hours of electricity pay a higher rate.

Nigeria is also working to improve metering in an effort to move away
from estimates. More than 5 million Nigerians will receive meters,
Buhari said.

The metering plans, plus solar home systems, should create more than
300,000 jobs, he said.

Former vice president and opposition politician Atiku Abubakar was
critical. If the country had “truly deregulated”, fuel prices would be
lower, he said.

He also rejected the new power tariffs. “Coming out of the lockdown,
Nigerians need a stimulus, not an impetuous disregard for the
challenges they face. Many Nigerians have not earned an income for
months, due to no fault of theirs. This increase is ill-timed and
ill-advised,” Abubakar said.