Electricity consumers in the country experienced downward trend in electricity supply between January and June this year, new aggregated power poll results released by NOIPolls has revealed.
According to the result, following a relatively high record in January at 60 percent improvement, there was a consistent decline in power supply to households through June 2016, with the highest dip recorded in February at 21-Points from January 2016.
“These findings are reflections of the challenges faced by the power sector, one of which is the issue of vandalism of oil and gas installations” the poll said adding that the vandalization which occurred in the Escravos area of Delta State resulted in a drop in power generation from about 3,600 megawatts (MW) to 2,500 MW, translating to a loss of 900MW in May 2016.[1]
Furthermore, the poll revealed that average daily cumulative hours of power supply experienced in Nigerian households nationwide in the month of January, 2016 stood at 10.5 hours; representing the highest daily cumulative hours of power supply during the six months in view.
In addition, the month of May, 2016 recorded the lowest daily cumulative power supply at 5.6 hours within the same period.
Although several efforts are being made by the Government to improve on power supply in the country such as the recent commissioning of four gas power stations in second quarter of 2016, it is however clear that these efforts are yet to translate into actual power improvement to impact the lives of Nigerians, and besides, these reform efforts can take a long gestation period from conceptualisation to implementation.
Giving further details, the report said that the Nigerian power sector improved tremendously in the third quarter of 2015, with Nigerians enjoying enormous electricity supply as a result of increased generation and a historical peak capacity of 4817 Mega Watts (MW) achieved within this period.
This improvement continued till the first quarter of 2016, but also spiralled downwards within the same quarter as a historic system collapse was recorded within this period and the resultant effect was a Zero Mega Watts ( 0 MW) generation that led to a nationwide drop in power supply.
This downward trend and collapse has been blamed on the degree of destruction on infrastructure and gas pipelines vandalism that has taken place through the years, as well as poor maintenance and upgrade of power installations across the country.
In a bid to address these irregularities that has characterized the Nigerian power sector, the federal government in the second quarter (Q2) of 2016, commissioned four gas power projects to boost electricity supply in Nigeria.[3] Also, in an effort to improve the state of electricity supply in Nigeria, the present administration has stated that all on-going power projects must be completed within the next three years.
Furthermore, analysis of findings from NOIPolls monthly tracking of power supply over a period of six months specifically from January to June, 2016 revealed that 60 per cent of Nigerians nationwide stated that power supply has improved nationwide in the month of January.
This figure represents the best rating for power from January 2016 to June 2016.
However, the results depict a downward trend from the month of January down to the month June, 2016 (which recorded the lowest figure at 15 percent).
The highest dip in power supply was recorded in the month of February from January 2016 at 21 points.
Further analysis of results revealed that the average improvement in supply nationwide, during Q1, 2016 stood at 44 per cent, while average during Q2, 2016 stood at 17 Percent. This represents a -27 points dip from Q1, 2016.
Also, analysis of poll results showed the average cummulative hours of power supply experienced by Nigerian households nationwide in the month of Jaunuary, 2016 stood at 10.5 hours daily.
This represents the highest daily cummulative hours of power suppply during this six months period. The month of May, 2016 showed that Nigerians experienced 5.6 hours of daily cummulative power suppply and this represents the lowest during this six months period.
The results revealed that the nationwide average daily cumulative power supply for first quarter of 2016 stood approximately at nine hours, while in second quarter of 2106 it stood at approximately six hours; representing about three hours decline from the previous quarter.
The overall monthly tracking on the state of power supply to Nigerian households over this six months period clearly depicts that there is a serious decline in power supply, as evidently revealed.
The improvement in power supply continually declined from 60 per cent in January, 2016 to 15 percent in the month of June 2016. Also, the average quarterly daily cumulative hours of power supply declined from approximately nine hours in firs quarter of 2016 to six in the second quarter of 2016.