FG to Send Local Content Policy on Power to National Assembly

National Assembly complex

Chineme Okafor in Abuja
The federal government is on the verge of sending a Nigerian content policy, which is expected to guide the localisation of operations in Nigeria’s emerging electricity market to the national assembly.

According to resolutions recently reached at the inaugural meeting of the National Council on Power (NACOP) in Abuja, the ministry of power is expected to finalise a draft policy on Nigerian content in the power sector, after which it will be sent to the national assembly for legislation.

The policy will amongst others, require states and local governments across the country to maximise municipal wastes generated within their environments in promoting sustainable waste-to-power projects that will be embedded within their localities.

As in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, the local content policy for the electricity market is perhaps planned to enhance indigenous participation in operations within the market, therefore, helping to grow the capacity of indigenous entrepreneurs and investors in the market.
“The council considered the reports of the sub-committees and made a number of far reaching decisions. Some of these decisions are: the need to put in place proper systems, processes, structures and framework to resolve power issues in the country.

The draft policies on Nigerian power content policy, strategic framework on power and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should be subjected to stakeholder’s engagement for validation. Thereafter the Nigerian power content policy should be forwarded to the national assembly for legislation,” the council stated at its recent meeting to deliberate on the proposed policy.

It also recommended for adoption with regards to vandalism of critical assets in the power sector, a range of measures which include; legislation of stiffer punitive sanctions, deployment of appropriate technology for monitoring and tracking of vandalism and facilitation of multiple levels of engagement for community involvement and awareness in the fight against vandalism of power infrastructure.

Other measures that recommended against vandalism were encouragement of relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure speedy prosecution of arrested vandals to serve as a deterrent to others on continuous disruption of power infrastructure as well as requests from State governments and local communities to deploy resources to prevent vandalism on power assets.

With regards to waste-to-power the council recommended that federal ministry of power and State governments should develop and implement waste-to-power plants as embedded generation to supplement electricity generation and clean up litters and wastes in cities across the country.

It further asked both tiers of government to allocate a minimum of 10 per cent of their annual budget provision for the development of power projects while 50 per cent from the allocation should be dedicated to rural electrification projects.