Power Inadequacy, the Thorn in Economic Growth of Nigeria

摘要

Adequate access to reliable, quality and affordable power is crucial to national economic growth. The Nigerian power industry performance track records and statistics are dismal and appalling. The power supply is characterized by low accessibility, epileptic and poor transmission. The socioeconomic activities in Nigeria have been grossly impacted negatively by insufficient power supply. Yet the huge energy potential available in the country are insignificantly tapped. Therefore, this study x-rays the past and present power situation in Nigeria; the determinants of the amount of power demanded; and the several interventions in the Nigerian power supply. The study reported that population, industry, transportation, agriculture, and commercial services are the main determinants of energy demand in Nigeria. The study reveals that population interconnects all other factors. Industrial, transportation and residential sectors consume the most energy in Nigeria. Industrialization, urbanization and the general economic wellbeing of Nigeria depend largely on effective power supply. This study concludes that effective power supply relies on careful and logical handling of these critical power technical activities - power generation; efficient power transmission to users; efficient power distribution to the users; reasonable level of domestic power equipment manufacturing infrastructure; management of population growth; and national power infrastructural development planning and enabling policy for power sector investments.