General News
Thefts, Others Hobble Power Sector
Thefts, infrastructure vandalisation, obsolete equipment due to either low or poor maintenance amongst other reason have combined to hobble the newly privatised power sector.
These revelations were thrown up when members of the Senate Committee on privatisation, led by Senator Olugbenga Obadara, chairman, who paid scheduled visits to three successors companies of the defunct public monopoly in Lagos and Ibadan.
At the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKDC), one of two DISCOs serving Lagos state, Abiodun Aifwobaje, managing director told the committee they have had to re-engage 567 former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to complement the 2,070 it inherited.
Aifwobaje told members of the Senate Committee the new power firm was committed to serving the public effectively.
He told the lawmakers of the commitment of the company to become a leading utility business company in the country by providing “safe, reliable and quality service to customers at fair and reasonable costs; and to achieve this,” he said the new owners had taken some initiatives to reposition the company.
These he said included: “training and retraining for staff, repair or replacement of malfunctioning transformers and completion of abandoned distribution projects among others.”
On the challenges facing the company, he told the committee members that IKDC has an installed capacity of 1684MW, but was only able to distribute 421MW to customers out of the maximum demand of 938MW due to shortage of supply from the Generation Companies, power theft and vandalisation of power installations.
The Senate Committee also paid similar fact finding visit to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), which serves most of the Lagos business districts. Oladele Amuda, managing director of the company told the committee members they were committed to providing uninterrupted and sustainable power supply to its customers.
Towards achieving the goal of smooth power distribution, Amuda said the company plans to invest N45bn in the next five years while $150 million would be spent immediately on capital projects to meet customers’ needs, network rehabilitation and reinforcement.
He however complained of poor power supply from the National Grid, power theft, illegal connections and vandalism of power installations as some of the challenges they were facing. He appealed to the Committee members to intervene so that generation companies could supply adequate power to the
distribution companies for adequate distribution of power to consumers and for increased financial returns.
At the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), CEO Atoy Leynes expressed the readiness of IBEDC to meet consumers’ needs as long as the generation companies can keep up with their demand.
He listed the challenges facing IBEDC as: “Poor asset performance due to age, poor transmission infrastructure and the absence of land to put up its headquarters.” Leynes requested that for the distribution companies to become financially viable to undertake aggressive investments in the power industry there should be a tariff structure that is cost reflective and the review of asset classification (Core/Non Core) of DISCOs as some assets classified as Non Core were essential to the distribution network.
In his remarks, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, chairman of the committee, assured the distribution companies that the Committee would do everything within its powers to find a lasting solution to shortage of power supply from the National Grid.
On power theft and vandalism, Obadara advised the distribution companies to liaise with security agents to set up a Task Force to checkmate the criminal acts.
The Committee members also visited Egbin Power Station where the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Olugbenga Obadara noted that “everything concerning power supply starts from generation. If generation is not adequate, it directly affects distribution and the consumers on the whole”.
He therefore called on the management to strive to achieve sufficient power generation and to actualize the dream of privatisation.
Police in Abuja have uncovered a criminal group making fake diplomatic and government number plates.
Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of Police FCT, stated this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that criminals use these fake plates to dodge security checks and enter restricted areas.
The investigation started soon after Sanusi took office.
He noticed too many unauthorized cars driving around with official government and diplomatic tags.
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend,” Sanusi said. He noted that these individuals use the plates as a cover to commit crimes and avoid arrest.
The police have already arrested several people caught using the fake plates.
They have also figured out who is making them.
The manufacturers operate outside Abuja, and police are actively hunting them down.
Sanusi kept their names secret so they would not flee.
He stressed that this is a highly profitable illegal business.
Buyers pay between N500,000 and N1.7 million for a single fake plate.
“This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda,” Sanusi explained.
“Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning.”
The commissioner urged residents to report any cars with suspicious diplomatic plates.
He reminded the public that real diplomatic tags follow a very specific format.
A diplomatic number plate in Nigeria is a special vehicle identification tag issued to foreign embassies, high commissions, and accredited international diplomats.
Gavi has approved $500 million to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation programme, primary healthcare services and long-term vaccine financing.
The move followed high-level discussions between Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, ]and Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer, Gavi in Abuja.
The funding, approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme, will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand HPV vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services, and improve long-term vaccine financing.
Speaking during the meeting, Pate said Nigeria was strengthening its partnership with Gavi to accelerate immunisation, expand primary healthcare services, and ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
He welcomed Gavi’s country-focused reforms, including the introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope.
Pate said the US$500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations.
The minister also revealed that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centreshad increased from about 10 million in 2023 to more than 45 million, reflecting significant progress in revitalising the country’s primary healthcare system.
Pate welcomed the announcement of a US$600 million pledge by the United States government to Gavi, describing it as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s leadership and the global value of vaccines.
He also commended Nishtar for prioritising Nigeria and praised the closer coordination among Gavi, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other development partners, describing it as a model that has improved efficiency and aligned support with Nigeria’s health sector reforms.
The minister expressed appreciation to Gavi and its partners for their continued technical and financial support, while calling on state governments to invest more in healthcare and immunisation to complement federal efforts.
For many women, financial independence means the freedom to provide for their families and build a better future. Yet, this remains out of reach due to limited access to opportunities, business support, and secure payment solutions.
Like millions of women in Nigeria determined to be financially independent, Pricillia started with a single PalmPay POS terminal, and as an agent, every successful transaction provided a commission which brought her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Through consistency, discipline, and support from the payment platform, she reinvested her earnings and eventually opened her own provision store.
“I started as just a PalmPay agent with one POS. The consistency of the platform gave me the confidence to expand. With the income I earned, I was able to open my own provision shop.” Priscilla said.
For Priscilla, PalmPay was more than a payment platform. Its secure payment infrastructure gave her the confidence to serve her customers, build trust, and grow her income.
Today, Pricillia has joined the statistics of SMEs powering Nigeria’s economy and PalmPay continues to support her daily operations, helping her receive payments, as she works towards her next business milestone. Her journey is a reminder that when women have access to secure financial tools and opportunities, they can build lasting economic independence.
Speaking on Pricillia’s journey, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing, PalmPay said: “Providing a secure platform that users can trust, whether for everyday payments or high-value transactions, is central to our vision of advancing financial inclusion. Priscilla’s story reflects our commitment to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians by providing a platform they can rely on to grow their finances. After all, seamless banking begins with security, and every successful transaction reinforces the trust our users place in us.”
Priscilla stands among thousands of PalmPay agents nationwide who are helping to expand financial access across Nigeria while earning commissions to create sustainable sources of income for themselves.
Every payment tells a story. It begins with trust, the confidence that your money is secure and that financial services are accessible. And when that opportunity reaches women, it creates ripple effects that transform families, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth.
Police Uncover Fake Diplomatic Number Plate Syndicate in Abuja
Davido Shares Past Suicidal Thoughts, Drops Oriadé Album
Gavi Okays $500m for Vaccines, PHCs in Nigeria
82% of Organizations Concerned about AI Risks Even as Adoption Accelerates – Survey Reveals
The Journey to Financial Freedom: Priscilla, a PalmPay Agent Now Owns a Store
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
Telecom3 days agoClydestone Ghana Sues MTN Over Mobile Money
News3 days agoIHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community
News3 days agoAfrica Prudential Unveils Digital Growth Strategy
E-Business3 days agoKaspersky Uncovers New Mirage Kitten Malware Used in Cyber-espionage Campaign Across Africa, Others
E-Financial3 days agoCBN Fines Banks N430m for Ignoring Customers’ Complaints
E-Financial3 days agoAfreximbank Raises $1.5b in Largest-ever Bond Issuance
E-Financial3 days agoSEC Begins Full e-Registration for Capital Market Operators
E-Financial3 days agoElon Musk Launches Invite-only X Money with Visa Debit Card