Delta State on Tuesday unveiled a roadmap to unlock its nearly 3,000 megawatts of installed electricity generation capacity, with plans to establish a Delta State Electricity Regulatory Commission and a Delta State Rural Electrification Agency, as major investors in the power sector pledged support for the state’s electricity market.
Unveiling the roadmap at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, Mrs. Uche Okafor, Consultant to the Delta State Government on Electricity Market Development, said the state’s Electricity Sector Law had created the legal foundation for private investment.
She said: “All these things we have discussed need a platform for regulation.
“The Delta State Electricity Sector Law provides the platform to build an electricity market that serves industries, investors and consumers.
“One of the immediate steps after this summit is the establishment of the Delta State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Delta State Rural Electrification Agency.
“The commission will ensure investors get their returns, protect consumers from exploitation and provide the framework for investments to thrive.”
According to her, “The government is ready. It has been ready since 2024 when it passed the Electricity Sector Law. We can now move forward to establish the institutions that will drive investments across the electricity value chain.”
Speaking on behalf of Transcorp Power Ughelli, Delta State, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ikenga said Delta possessed the natural resources to become Nigeria’s energy hub.
He said: “Delta State is uniquely positioned. The state has huge gas reserves and almost 3,000 megawatts of installed generation capacity. The remaining gaps are continuous investment in gas feedstock, expansion of transmission infrastructure and strengthening distribution networks. Transcorp is ready to collaborate with the Delta State Government from gas production to generation, transmission and distribution. Delta State can become the number one economic engine in Nigeria and indeed West Africa.”
Speaking for Manitoba Power, Barrister Emmanuel Jakpa said the major challenge was no longer electricity generation.
He said: “There is over 3,000 megawatts of installed capacity, but there is stranded power because of bottlenecks in distribution. Delta has already created the legal framework for private investment and we are prepared to invest aggressively to close that gap and improve electricity supply to businesses and households.”
Also speaking, Mr. Sumeet Singh of PowerGas Nigeria said Delta had already demonstrated how gas could sustain industrial production.
According to him, “For about 10 years we have operated a CNG mother station in Delta. Today, more than 20 factories in the state receive our gas and generate their own electricity without shutting down because of grid failures. Gas prices have remained stable despite global energy shocks, making it a reliable source of energy for manufacturers.”
The representative of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, Engineer Tari Mayo Bright, said discussions had commenced with the Delta State Government on establishing CNG refuelling stations, EV charging hubs and conversion centres.
She said: “The Governor has directed that implementation should commence immediately. Delta has no gas supply problem; it has an integration challenge. We are already discussing Green Hubs, conversion centres, training institutes and refuelling infrastructure that will reduce transport costs and expand the use of cleaner energy.”
On financing, Mr. Daniel Muller, Executive Director of Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit), assured investors that long-term capital was available.
He said: “Nigeria’s pension industry has over N31 trillion under management. Those resources are available for bankable infrastructure projects. Whether it is gas infrastructure, power distribution or industrial energy developments, long-term financing is available for credible investors willing to do the work.”
Vanguard News
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