Assessment of Nigeria’s Power Situation and the Way Forward

Abstract

One of the biggest threats to development in Nigeria is inadequate and erratic power supply. Any nation wishing to develop must increase its generated power in proportion to its population growth. For the socalled vision 20: 2020 to be attainable, Nigeria needs to register a take-off power generation status of 10,000 Mega Watts (that is, 10,000MW). Unfortunately, Nigeria’s present power generation situation is a far cry from this, considering that it is not generating up to 4,000MW yet, with only about 40 percent of the entire population having access to public power supply. This paper takes a look at the factors militating against the realization of adequate and steady power supply in the country, the abysmal efforts being made from time to time by the relevant quarters to cub this menace and the degree of adversity faced by citizens as a result of the problem. It suggests possible ways out of the doldrums; and it is the wish of the paper that the sooner the recommendations are expeditiously implemented, the sooner Nigeria would be on the path leading to industrial development because no nations develops industrially without adequate and constant power supply.