In January, Joseph Makoju, a presidential adviser on electricity, estimated [that] generation capacity in Nigeria was only enough to light just one 30-watt light bulb for each of Nigeria’s 140 million people.

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http://platform.blogs.com/passionofthepresent/2007/03/power_crisis_cr.html

One light bulb's worth of electrical power per Nigerian sounds far too optimistic.

The true electrical power availability in Nigeria is probably closer to the equivalent of one 15-watt light bulb for every 500 Nigerians, delivered with an empty promise of better days to come in the year 2020, right after all the world's chickens grow teeth.

After millions "spent" by OBJ to produce electricity for Nigerians. When he actually promised electricity in 2001 now 6 years later we are still trying to light bulbs ?

How would our industries now be competitive against those from other countries where they have stable electricity. Infact OBJ should be made to account for his misrule.

After millions "spent" by OBJ to produce electricity for Nigerians. When he actually promised electricity in 2001 now 6 years later we are still trying to light bulbs ?

OBJ spent $2.1billion on energy or rather he 'stole' $2.1billion since we cant see any evidence; Nigeria which was producing 6000MW in 1999 was in 2007 producing only 3000MW

OBJ years was truly ' the wasted years'

Privatize this monster and in a few months everything will be just fine.
President Obasanjo's greatest failure lies in not doing this. What a shame.

Privatize this monster and in a few months everything will be just fine.
President Obasanjo's greatest failure lies in not doing this. What a shame.

@ Seun WHat now happened to the $2.1bn or we should forget about that?

No wonder people can do anything to get to power cos its so profitable. 2.1bn even if its

grains of sand, is not small.

The people who decided to spend $2.1 billion instead of privatizing NEPA should be punished. That's all there is to it. Capitalism is not the enemy, it's the solution. Just do it already, so we can stop whining and start working.

Seun seems to think privatisation the panacea for managing public enterprises.

need i remind him of the crisis in carlifornia a few years back.

or the ongoing debate in the UK about the profiteering of private companies managing public enterprises.

Nuff said.

Privatization only backfires when done improperly. A private monopoly is not much better than a public monopoly. What we need is a free and dynamic market for electricity. One that's not controlled by any single entity.

Well it is difficult to create dynamic markets in such industries which is why governments have historically
delivered these goods.

Inevitably monopolies develop. Rather a public monster than a private ''Voldermot'' for me.

It is rumoured that Chief Bola Ige was assasinated and eliminated to pave way for the $2.1bn looting deal of the power sector. Might sound preposterous to some, but anything is possible in naija. OBJ's record of unresolved political assasinations during his tenure only adds concrete to the theory that the country was dictatorially hijacked, raped and abused for 8 consecutive years with nothing to show for it.

Is there anything we can look back at in the last 8 years as a mark of progress and achievement? Someone help here, coz I can't seem to think of anything.

When I think what the rest of the world has achieved in those 8 years, and look at the so called top economies we are supposed to emulate, it leaves me in a position that I don't know whether to cry or laugh.

When I think what the rest of the world has achieved in those 8 years, and look at the so called top economies we are supposed to emulate, it leaves me in a position that I don't know whether to cry or laugh.

welcome to OBJ Nigeria

@ Seun,
OBJ who signed the contracts should be held and he would point out the people with whom he shared the booty.

Poor roads!! Seun, maybe we should privatize roads too

In the last 8 years Nigeria has achieved so much because according to OBJ we are better than Congo What reasoning.!!!

And according to OBJ the solution to poverty in Nigeria is for the rich to Marry more wives. Imagine that sound economic model to bring us out of poverty.

dayokanu:

@ Seun,
OBJ who signed the contracts should be held and he would point out the people with whom he shared the booty.

The people who are going to hold him also have dirt on their hands so how can they hold him?

dayokanu:

Poor roads!! Seun, maybe we should privatize roads too

My friend where are you based? Roads in naija have been privatised. I know of roads in naija that have been privatised and toll gate money is no longer for government (doesn't make a difference anyway, coz the toll gate money didn;t improve the lives of nigerians, infact the roads are death traps.)

dayokanu:

In the last 8 years Nigeria has achieved so much because according to OBJ we are better than Congo What reasoning.!!!

Well I won't be surprised with anything OBJ comes out with. What do you expect when you give someone who has just been suffering from mental problem in prison the presidency? He has to use Congo as a benchmark becoz we can't even stand next to Ghana and most african states for that fact. The same people we used to cry Ghana must go, now enjoy pass us. Now its Naijas must go everywhere, no-one wants to do business with us, kai wahala

dayokanu:

And according to OBJ the solution to poverty in Nigeria is for the rich to Marry more wives. Imagine that sound economic model to bring us out of poverty.

I told you, some one who has known nothing all his life but military barracks, drinking, women, just finished serving years in prison (lucky 4 him abacha's dr. death did not get 2 him), and then you come and give him presidency, honestly what do you expect? A Bill Clinton? May 29 1999, another date that will stand as another catastrophic moment in the history of nigeria.

na wa for nigerians o!(nairalanders included, )see the way u ppl have jst started crucifying nepa,

Am sure as time goes on things will become better, so don't get too optimistic

ocho cinco:

Seun seems to think privatisation the panacea for managing public enterprises.

need i remind him of the crisis in carlifornia a few years back.

or the ongoing debate in the UK about the profiteering of private companies managing public enterprises.

Nuff said.

So,  out of 50 states that have profited from privatization for over a century now,  you pick one incident as reason AGAINST IT ?? @OchoCinco , 

LMAO

Hey,  I am not complaining about my Electricity here as those in Nigeria are. I have Electricity 24/7 if weather and all goes well,  and I mean EVER. I have 365 electricity with no interruption most years, worst I have had is 364 days due to storm and overload during the winter/summer. Are you seriously saying privatization is BAD for you in that case??

I would think by now that Nigerians would have learnt to depend more on the Sun for energy, than they do their governors. How much are solar panels and getting those installed?? I mean instead of getting computers first. Maybe Nigerians should start jumping on this going green bandwagon in full force now. I am sure Solar panels will end up being cheaper than waiting till 2020 for the governments next DREAM DATE, Notice how the date keeps shifting

@kobojunkie

I am happy for you oh that u have constant electricity. More electricity to your elbows.

But my own concern was to show the less than fool proof nature of privatising public utilities

Because of the crucial nature of power for the running of the nation, you will have cycles where governments have to bail out
these utilities with public money and often at great expense, because unlike other enterprises, governments simply cannot allow them to fail.
Gary Davis found that out to his own cost.

By the way how about those Bengals eh. They are trying to trade me. Imagine that.

YA and state of emergency. did he say he was gonna declare it in 100days?? by my calculations which may be flawed its over 5months and we are still in the dark about his bloody political agenda

I believe right now in Nigeria, any solution that will offer something better than what is on hand and has been for decades, is a move forward in some way. Privatization is good and has been shown to have worked for many countries too, it like every other model has it's flaws and needs to be followed with common sense. I mean if the Nigerian government decides to give the job to some idiotic company put together by one of the politicians as another money making scheme, we will definitely not have a solution but another disaster to go down in the books as many such moves have in the past.


Here is my take on Nigeria, there are so many easy solutions to the problems in that country. Problem is we keep giving the job to idiots and then when it collapses we claim the model was the problem without facing the fact that we do things bad and expect good which is ridiculous if you ask me.

dayokanu:

In the last 8 years Nigeria has achieved so much because according to OBJ we are better than Congo What reasoning.!!!

And according to OBJ the solution to poverty in Nigeria is for the rich to Marry more wives. Imagine that sound economic model to bring us out of poverty.

A peep into the dumb mentality with which this nation was ruled for 8 years.

remember we are in africa

desgiezd:

A peep into the dumb mentality with which this nation was ruled for 8 years.

Hmmm. . .

I wonder which one is better. Hitherto the President displayed his dumbness for all to see.

The present one is intent in keeping his under wraps.

How man for do na. . .

Ok, The dude has been in office 5 months?? When will he start ACTUALLY Making CHANGES?? Or are we to wait longer

NEPA/ POWERHOLDING

NNA I WEAK O

osereka:

NEPA/ POWERHOLDING

NNA I WEAK O

NEPA used to be NEVER EXPECT POWER ALWAYS, however we now have something even better, PHCN.

PROBLEM HAS CHANGED NAME
or
PLEASE HOLD CANDLE NOW

olboy, naim you de laf?

Problem has changed NAME
LMAO

Nigeria We hail thee!!!

osereka:

olboy, naim you de laf?

I bow o. I come dey wonder whether something do me wey i no find the thing funny

yes. it is shocking especially if na high voltage one you mistake go touch. e go shock you die

I have to stop reading about the shocking things in Nigeria before I lose my sanity.

The majority wanted to change the bad government and they patriotically went to the polls last April and they were robbed and victimized by the notorious ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

The sooner we sack the PDP, the better.

I still say the people of Nigeria are the problem. Until we as a people learn to unite and get off our butts to make that nation what we want it to be, the minority will continue to rule over us and make us even more miserable.