Federal Government has begun discussions with electricity distribution companies (DisCos) on plans to establish special Energy Zones that could provide stable, 24-hour electricity to homes, businesses and industries in major high-demand areas.
Gatekeepers News reports that Joseph Tegbe, minister of power, held a closed-door meeting with the management of selected DisCos on Wednesday to discuss the proposed initiative, according to a statement by Adeola Adelabu, his media aide.
The proposed Energy Zones are expected to cover the Lagos axis, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and the Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor.
Tegbe said the challenges in Nigeria’s power sector extend beyond electricity generation and transmission, noting that the distribution end must also have the capacity to receive available power and deliver it to consumers.
“The constraint on the sector is not limited to generation and transmission but includes how much power is taken up and delivered at the distribution end,” the minister said.
According to the minister, the Energy Zones would help close gaps in electricity distribution, increase commercial and industrial demand and improve the revenue and collection performance of DisCos.
The federal government also said it would continue to expand electricity infrastructure in areas with high demand, with Tegbe stressing that supply capacity must grow alongside the needs of the economy.
The initiative is expected to focus on locations where reliable electricity is particularly important for businesses, manufacturing and other productive activities.
Representatives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Sahara Energy Group attended the meeting.
However, the government has not announced a commencement date, the amount of electricity to be supplied to the proposed zones or the specific infrastructure projects required to achieve the 24-hour supply.
