Institute Urges Federal Government to Engage Indigenous Engineers in Solving Power Challenges

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s power sector have called on the Federal Government to urgently revisit the privatisation of the electricity industry, describing the process as ineffective and exploitative to consumers.

The experts, who spoke in Abuja, said while privatisation was initially a good policy meant to attract investment and improve efficiency, it has failed to deliver stable electricity or encourage meaningful infrastructure development.

Privatisation of the sector, initiated in November 2013, transferred ownership and management of power assets to private entities — creating 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) and six Generation Companies (GenCos). The transmission component, however, remained under government control.

‘Privatisation Has Become Exploitation of Citizens’ — APPA President

Chief Princewill Okorie, National President of the Association for Public Policy Analysis (APPA), said that the entire privatisation process must undergo a comprehensive national audit to determine its effectiveness and accountability.

According to Okorie, the government should review all financial and infrastructure investments made since 2013 — including funds from consumers, local and state governments, and international partners.

“Government should carry out a thorough audit of investments in infrastructure and how much has been collected from electricity consumers from inception to date,” Okorie said.

“What they call privatisation, in my opinion, is extortion from citizens. The process was not sincerely carried out, and the conditions expected of investors were never met.”

He added that any discussion about reversing or reforming privatisation should be based on the findings of the audit.

Consumers’ Network Demands Forensic Audit of Power Assets

Supporting the call, Mr. Uket Obonga, National Secretary of the Nigeria Electricity Consumers Advocacy Network (NECAN), said Nigerians had high expectations that privatisation would bring major improvements, but “nothing has really changed.”

“Privatisation that was well conceived has not worked. Let there be a deliberate and transparent review of the entire process,” he said.

Obonga urged the government to set up a technical forensic audit team to examine the power infrastructure and ensure that any Distribution Company (DisCo) lacking adequate financial capacity should not be allowed to continue operations.

‘Government Must Trust Its Own Engineers’ — CIPEN

Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria (CIPEN) has called on the Federal Government to prioritise indigenous professionals in addressing the power sector’s persistent challenges.

Mr. Israel Abraham, President of CIPEN, said during an interview in Abuja that Nigeria’s power problems can only be solved sustainably when the government begins to trust and empower local experts.

“Government must trust its own people. When you want to develop the power sector, call in the professionals — those who understand the system — and engage them meaningfully,” he said.

Abraham explained that many developed nations achieved progress by relying on their own engineers, not foreign consultants. He noted that the government often ignores local expertise, which limits accountability and long-term progress.

He also suggested localising power networks to make electricity more accessible through smaller, community-based systems and renewable solutions such as solar power, particularly in rural areas.

“Where solar systems exist in villages, many residents no longer worry about grid connections because they already have energy access,” Abraham noted.

CIPEN, he added, is already collaborating with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to find new ways to strengthen Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

The Way Forward

Nigeria’s power sector remains central to economic development, yet more than a decade after privatisation, electricity supply is still unreliable. Experts insist that without a transparent audit, strict regulatory oversight, and genuine involvement of indigenous engineers, the goal of stable power supply will remain elusive.