President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned Eko Electricity Distribution Plcs (EKEDP) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system project centre, the first functional SCADA in West Africa.
The president was represented by Minister of Power Engr Sale Mamman at the event on Thursday in Lagos.
Below is the address by the president whixh was read on his behalf by the power minister:
PROTOCOL RECOGNITION
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Captains of Industry, I am delighted to be here today to commission Eko Electricity Distribution Plc’s (EKEDP) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system project centre, which is the first functional SCADA in West Africa.
I felicitate with and commend EKEDP’s Board of Directors and Management on this laudable milestone. SCADA is one of the most important technologies in the power distribution business globally and I am optimistic that this event will translate to improved service delivery to customers within EKEDP’s network.
The commissioning of this SCADA system will help EKEDP monitor and respond quicker to faults and reduce the outage durations which would improve the quality of service to customers.
This SCADA project will also help EKEDP meet its set objectives under the recently executed Service Level Agreements with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). This project will provide access to real time data that enables distribution system operators to make informed decisions that improve reliability and availability, consistent with the targets of the service-based tariff (SBT) regime.
I acknowledge the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) financial support towards this project through the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility (NEMSF) granted in 2015. This facility significantly led to the successful completion of this project.
My administration remains committed to addressing the liquidity challenges which are adversely affecting the Power sector’s viability. We have noted with grave concern:
The increased fiscal burden on the Federal Government (FG) occasioned by the tariff shortfalls in the sector which are no longer sustainable.
My efforts, via the CBN’s Payment Assurance Facility (CBN PAF) targeted at supporting tariff shortfalls. Such interventions can no longer be extended and must be phased out to allow the sector’s financial independence.
We are also aware that these tariff shortfalls sit on DisCos’ books and impair their ability to raise capital and invest.
The FG is working assiduously to address these financial and fiscal challenges through various programs such as the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP), the Siemens AG Power Project and the World Bank Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) etc.
These efforts by this administration are geared towards a well coordinated planning in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). We must ensure that there is an alignment of capacity and attraction of investments across the generation, transmission and distribution components of the Power Sector’s value chain.
In our efforts to address challenges of the critical power infrastructure in the country, the FG, through the Ministry of Power has inaugurated several projects such as:
The recently commissioned 150MVA 330/132KV Kumbotso transmission Substation in Kano;
The construction of a 132/33KV Transmission Substation at Kabba, Kogi State; and The commissioning of the132KV Katampe-National Stadium transmission line project and the new 330/132/33KV substation, New Apo, Abuja.
It is apt at this point to share the fact that the Ministry of Power has launched its Central Data Management System, which is a digital platform for electrification planning and monitoring under the umbrella of the Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. The system has led the foundation for the digital transformation of power networks across the country. This initiative is part of our efforts to digitalize the Nigerian power sector using new innovative digital technologies and processes that will help address many of the key challenges that our power sector is facing today, such as Internet of Things (IoT).
We recently launched the National Mass Metering Program supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently and immediately address the metering gap and eradicate estimated billing in the sector. Under the initial phase of the Presidential Mass Metering Initiative, of supporting the DisCos with the much-needed financing for the bulk acquisition of 1,000,000 Meters, the installation of which is at no cost to the consumers. Deployment has already started in parts of Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja.
On the part of the consumers, I wish to call on the valued customers of all DisCos to desist from tampering with electricity meters. This is not only on account of protecting the revenues of DisCos but also related to the safety of customers as there have been reports of consumers losing lives in the course of by-passing meters.
The FG reaffirms its commitment to ensure that electricity gets to the homes and businesses of all Nigerians, whether un-served or underserved. In the area of off-grid electricity supply, the FG recently unveiled the 5 Million Solar Connections Programme, through the CBN’s Development Finance Department and this application is still open. Upon completion, the 5 Million Solar Connection Program will:
Expand energy access to 25 million individuals by providing 5 million new connections through the provision of solar home systems (SHS) or construction and operation of mini grids;
Increase local content in the off-grid solar value chain, through facilitating the growth of the local manufacturing industry; and Incentivise the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector.
The FG assures all DisCos of its readiness to support any initiative that is geared towards addressing the challenges facing the Nigerian power sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on this note, I now officially launch this important project, which I believe is a pace setter project in our efforts to improve service to electricity customers in Nigeria.
Thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic f Nigeria.
