Connect with us

Business

Engineer Lauds FG On Electricity Transmission Network

Published

8 years ago

on

An expert in the power sector, Mr Sunday Makinde has lauded Federal Government’s effort at improving electricity transmission network across the country.
Makinde, a former Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) gave the commendation in an interview in Lagos, Wednesday
He said that prior to this development; the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) did not have the capacity to evacuate energy generated by Generation Companies (GENCOs).
Our source reports that President Muhammadu Buhari in his New Year address to the nation said generation of electricity had now reached 7,000Megawatts (MW).
Buhari said that as at December 8, 2017, the country had achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to its consumers, the highest level ever recorded.
According to the President, TCN can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated.
“TCN and the Niger Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer capacity from 10 transmission stations.
“Also, it has added 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV transformer capacity from 42 sub-stations that include: Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon, Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtua and Zaria.
“This administration is working with the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution,” he said.
The former chairman said that the government had succeeded in solving the problem of energy evacuation from GENCOs to DISCOs with the improved transmission network.
“Over time, we have witnessed a situation in which when GENCOs generate above 4,000MW, it will be difficult for TCN to evacuate them.
“But from the President’s speech, I am delighted to hear that our TCN has the capacity to evacuate all the energy generated.
“This is a big plus to the present administration.
“This has shown that the government is aware of the challenges in the power sector,” he said.
Makinde also commended the present administration in resolving the litigation involving some power plant projects.
According to him, if the power plant project is completed, it will contribute more megawatts to what the country is currently generating.
He, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to compel DISCOs to carry out an up to date maintenance of their equipment.
“Consumers are having challenges of getting improved power supply if the DISCOs’ cables and transformers are faulty.
“If all these loopholes can be plugged, consumers will enjoy improved power generation,” he said.
Makinde also urged Federal Government to embrace the use of renewable energy, adding that many countries were generating energy through solar and wind energies.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Business

Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

Published

5 days ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

Continue Reading

Business

NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

Published

5 days ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
Continue Reading

Business

FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

Published

5 days ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
Continue Reading

Trending